WASHINGTON — The Distilled Spirits Council (DISCUS) is joining with dozens of national, state and local organizations in supporting the Federal Trade Commission’s “We Don’t Serve Teens” 2011 annual campaign to help get the word out that serving alcohol to teens is unsafe, illegal and irresponsible.
“Even though most parents believe their teens are not listening to them, the research shows parents have the most influence over their son’s or daughter’s decision to drink or not to drink alcohol,” said DISCUS President Peter H. Cressy. “Research also shows that most teens who drink obtain alcohol from social sources — including sneaking alcohol from their parents’ homes; having older friends buy it; or obtaining it at parties.”
The “We Don’t Serve Teens” campaign, based on this government research, provides an important reminder to parents and other adults about being vigilant against underage access to alcohol and the importance of talking early and often to their teens.
The campaign’s website, DontServeTeens.gov, includes information about teen drinking, how to reduce teens’ access to alcohol, practical tips for parents on talking to teens about alcohol, and campaign education materials. DISCUS will be distributing WDST signage in the local metropolitan area and also will post this year’s WDST campaign materials on the DISCUS website.
“These types of public-private partnerships are truly making a positive impact in the fight against underage drinking,” said Cressy, pointing to the latest Federal government statistics, which show that alcohol consumption and binge drinking rates among 8th, 10th and 12th graders have continued their long-term decline, reaching historically low levels.
Equally important, Cressy noted that the latest Monitoring the Future survey shows that the number of teens who report it’s easy to obtain alcohol also continues to decline.
The “We Don’t Serve Teens” campaign has been hailed as one of the most successful public service campaigns in history. Since its inception, the “We Don’t Serve Teens” campaign has generated an unprecedented 1.1 billion advertising impressions with a market value of over $9 million, and has been recognized by the U.S. Senate and officials from 40 states.
The nationwide campaign has been supported by a diverse group of public and private partners, including America’s leading distillers, federal, state and local governments, advertising and media organizations, and consumer groups.