
We are working with Pathways Behavioral Services on the Iowa Partnerships for Success (IPFS) Grant to reduce underage drinking. This project goes beyond educating youth about the risks of underage drinking. It involves changing the alcohol landscape or environment that includes limiting the pro-alcohol messages our youth see on a daily basis. According to data from the Center for Alcohol Marketing and Youth, “a national study published in January 2006 concluded that greater exposure to alcohol advertising contributes to an increase in drinking among underage youth. Specifically, for each additional ad a young person saw (above the monthly average of 23), he/she drank 1% more. For each additional dollar per capita spent on alcohol advertising in a local market (above the national average of $6.80 per capita), young people drank 3% more.” So although for health and legal reasons, youth need to wait until age 21 to drink, they start seeing alcohol ads that depict alcohol use as fun and people who use alcohol as financially successful, attractive, athletic, and popular as soon as they start running errands with parents, watching TV, or surfing the internet.
Our hope is to decrease the number of youth who drink and drink in large quantities by partnering with local retailers to reduce the number of alcohol ads youth are exposed to in our local grocery and convenience stores. We plan to do this by visiting stores and identifying effective ways to make the environment more youth-friendly. This could range from keeping all ads at least 3 feet above the ground or away from candy or ice cream, to keeping alcohol promotions or displays to one area of the store. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have questions or are willing to help. Volunteers are needed to serve on this committee, help youth to conduct and analyze assessments, talk with store owners or managers, provide snacks for a youth group meeting, and recognize those who make changes.
‘Best Practices for Alcohol Advertisements’ is one of five underage drinking strategies being organized by Chickasaw Connections through the IPFS Grant. This project is funded by the Iowa Department of Public Health through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. For more information on the IPFS Grant, visit https://idph.iowa.gov/substance-abuse/programs/ipfs. For information on Chickasaw County’s project and how to get involved, visit our project page, contact us, or contact me at the number or email below.
This article was written by:
Carol Hopp, CHES, CPS
Partnerships for Success Coordinator
Pathways Behavioral Services
(563) 380-4032 | carol.hopp@pathwaysb.org
Our hope is to decrease the number of youth who drink and drink in large quantities by partnering with local retailers to reduce the number of alcohol ads youth are exposed to in our local grocery and convenience stores. We plan to do this by visiting stores and identifying effective ways to make the environment more youth-friendly. This could range from keeping all ads at least 3 feet above the ground or away from candy or ice cream, to keeping alcohol promotions or displays to one area of the store. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have questions or are willing to help. Volunteers are needed to serve on this committee, help youth to conduct and analyze assessments, talk with store owners or managers, provide snacks for a youth group meeting, and recognize those who make changes.
‘Best Practices for Alcohol Advertisements’ is one of five underage drinking strategies being organized by Chickasaw Connections through the IPFS Grant. This project is funded by the Iowa Department of Public Health through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. For more information on the IPFS Grant, visit https://idph.iowa.gov/substance-abuse/programs/ipfs. For information on Chickasaw County’s project and how to get involved, visit our project page, contact us, or contact me at the number or email below.
This article was written by:
Carol Hopp, CHES, CPS
Partnerships for Success Coordinator
Pathways Behavioral Services
(563) 380-4032 | carol.hopp@pathwaysb.org