Contact: James Butler, President, 916-441-1844, calcap@comcast.net; Dr. Dan Ireland, Executive Director, 205-985-9062, ccorley@alcap.com; both with American Council on Alcohol Problems; Rev. Mark Creech, Executive Director, Christian Action League of North Carolina, 919-915-3033, rev.markcreech@christianactionleague.org
RALEIGH, N.C., Sept. 28, 2011 /Christian Newswire/ -- Tooty-fruity high-octane alcohol drinks don't belong on convenience store shelves; nor should beer appear on fastfood restaurant menus. With an eye toward protecting youth from aggressive and harmful alcohol marketing, the American Council on Alcohol Problems issued resolutions on these two national matters earlier this month and also addressed statewide prospects for privatizing liquor sales in North Carolina.
The resolutions came at the conclusion of ACAP's annual meeting held Sept. 20 and 21 at the Cardinal Club and hosted by the Christian Action League of North Carolina.
"Research shows that these alcopops -- many with enough alcohol so that ingesting one can meets the criteria for binge drinking -- may not be showing up on parents' radar, but certainly are popular with teen-agers," said the Rev. Mark Creech, executive director of the Christian Action League.
In fact, a poll conducted for the Center for Science in the Public Interest, showed that teens (64 percent) are three times more likely than adults (21 percent) to have seen, heard or read about alcopops. Further, American Medical Association polls showed that approximately a third of teen girls have tried the fruit or soda pop flavored drinks considered "starters" or "bridgers" by the alcohol industry.
To make matters worse, the brightly colored cans or bottles are sold in convenience stores making them more accessible to underage drinkers even though statutes in many states clearly define alcopops as distilled spirits. Classifying the drinks as a malt beverage allows the alcohol industry to reach more young people through advertising practices and also offers preferential regulatory treatment, including an enormous tax benefit. The drinks are legally sold by convenience and grocery stores in North Carolina because of 2005 Pop the Cap legislation that increased the alcohol content limits for malt beverages. Prior to the law change, the drinks would only be available inside ABC stores.
For these reasons and more, ACAP's resolution calls for efforts to reverse improper tax classifications and sales practices of alcopops. Click here for the entire Resolution on Underage Alcohol Use and the Products Known as Alcopops.
ACAP also called on fast food chains to reject the idea of adding alcohol to their menus. Already Burger King has opened so-called "Whopper Bars" in some locations and some Sonic restaurants now serve beer.
"Fast food restaurants market directly to children and their exposure to fast food TV ads has risen by as much as 34 percent since 2003, according to Fast Food F.A.C.T.S. (Food Advertising to Children and Teens Score)," ACAP reports in its resolution, which also emphasizes the high number of teen workers in these restaurants who would be exposed to alcohol or forced to give up their jobs if beer sales are introduced.
"We are sending written appeals to every national fastfood chain urging them not to consider alcohol sales as an option -- not now, not ever," said Dr. Creech, ACAP's president-elect. "Fast food is designated as such because diners are in, out and back on the road in a short period of time. The last thing we need is to add alcohol to the mix to put less than sober drivers on the highway."
Click here for the ACAP Resolution in Opposition to Beer Sales at Fast Food Restaurants.
While alcopops and fast food beer are of nationwide concern, ACAP officials didn't leave Raleigh without taking a stand on how liquor is marketed in the Tar Heel state.
The organization's Resolution in Opposition of Privatized Liquor Sales in North Carolina came while hearing from Jon Williams, chairman of the state's ABC Commission, in addition to Dr. Creech, who has long led the CAL's push against privatization efforts.
ACAP cites a number of recent studies, none of which revealed compelling evidence for privatization and also references Governor Bev Perdue's announcement that the "juice is not worth the squeeze," after thorough study of the issue over the past year. Acknowledging that the North Carolina Legislative Research Commission has been authorized to revisit the idea of privatizing liquor sales, the Resolution urges the state to keep its current system of liquor sales and remain a Control state.
The Privatization Resolution can be accessed here Resolution in Opposition of Privatized Liquor Sales in North Carolina.
"Last legislative session, advocates across North Carolina fought successfully to retain state control of the sale of liquor," said Dylan Mulrooney-Jones, Policy Committee Chair of the N.C. Substance Abuse Prevention Providers Association and a speaker at the ACAP event. "It is imperative that we keep up that fight."
For more information, log onto www.sapacap.com, or contact:
James Butler, President of the American Council on Alcohol Problems
Email: calcap@comcast.net
Phone: 916-441-1844
Dr. Dan Ireland, Executive Director of the American Council on Alcohol Problems
Email: ccorley@alcap.com
Phone: 205-985-9062
Rev. Mark Creech, Executive Director of the Christian Action League of North Carolina
Email: rev.markcreech@christianactionleague.org
Phone: 919.915.3033
