|
return to
Media Kits main page |
|
NEWS
RELEASE |
|
For Immediate Release |
Contact: |
Ryan Hurd, (619) 253-8295 |
|
March 8, 2002 |
|
Dan Tomsky, (619) 719-2533 |
|
|
Poll:
Alcohol Promotions Prompt Youth to Drink |
|
|
|
|
San
Diegans Concerned About Underage Drinking,
|
|
Cite
Alcohol Marketing Practices as Factor |
|
|
SAN DIEGO —
Seventy percent of San Diegans say advertising, marketing and
promotions by the alcohol industry influence people under the
age of 21 to drink, according to a major telephone survey
commissioned by the nonprofit Institute for Public Strategies
(IPS). In addition, 73% agree that beer and liquor companies
specifically target underage college students with their ads,
while 78% say the companies place alcohol promotions at sports
events to attract a young, male audience. |
|
The poll of
750 residents of San Diego County, conducted in December of
2001 by the Washington, D.C.-based firm of Penn, Schoen &
Berland Associates, showed that 70% of San Diegans think beer
and liquor companies advertise to youth under 21 rather than
to adults only — despite the alcohol industry’s statements to
the contrary. And 61% say beer and liquor companies talk about
“individual responsibility” because they want Americans to
overlook the role they play in encouraging young people to
drink. |
|
The survey
results are announced in the wake of news that the underage
drinking epidemic remains a top public health concern, both in
San Diego and across the country. According to the recent San
Diego City Schools Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 76% of San
Diego high school students have tried alcohol, 41% drink
alcohol at least once a month and 24% binge drink. The Center
on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University
reports that 36% of American youths under the age of 21 now
begin drinking by the eighth grade or earlier, up from 27% in
1975. |
|
San Diegans
are worried about the problem, according to the IPS poll: 86%
say underage drinking in the region is a serious concern. |
|
Among the
causes for risky drinking among youth, 72% of those polled
said advertising, marketing and promotions by the alcohol
industry are a factor in influencing people under 21 to drink
excessively. San Diegans cited spring break promotions (47%),
sponsorship of college related events (39%) and ads with
sexual themes (38%) as examples. |
|
“Telling
youth not to drink — then sending them into environments
crowded with pro-drinking messages — is confusing at best and
downright cruel by our society at worst,” said Judy Strang,
Alcohol and Drug Chair for San Diego’s 9th District PTA and
Executive Director of the San Dieguito Alliance for Drug-Free
Youth. |
|
Other findings in the poll include: |
-
73% of San Diegans say the alcohol industry targets
specific groups with its ads, including minorities and
people living in low-income neighborhoods. And 66%
believe those groups are negatively affected as a
result of being targeted by the alcohol industry.
-
69% of San Diegans agree that when beer companies talk
about “responsible drinking,” they’re “just trying to
avoid getting sued like the tobacco companies.”
-
68% of San Diegans think it is not appropriate for
politicians to accept donations from the alcohol
industry, and 70 percent think such contributions
affect the way politicians vote.
|
|
|
“San Diegans
know that our youth are growing up in a culture of outdoor
advertising, sponsorships and media — print, broadcast and
electronic — that’s drenched in alcohol messages,” said James
Baker, Executive Director of IPS. “This poll shows that people
understand the link between alcohol marketing and public
health where youth are concerned, but communities have a long
way to go to reduce this problem together.”
|
|
IPS
commissioned the poll under contract with the County of San
Diego Health and Human Services Agency, Alcohol and Drug
Services. The results are representative by age (18 years and
older), ethnicity, gender, income and geography. Residents had
the option to conduct the phone interview in English or
Spanish. The margin of error is +/-3.5%. |
|
For more
information about the San Diego County Poll on Alcohol
Promotions and Youth, call (619) 474-8844, e-mail
info@publicstrategies.org or visit
www.publicstrategies.org |
