Choices…and More Choices

This post was written by YPC Program Specialist, Laura Maher.

Looking back over the past few month’s blog posts, I’m seeing a trend. Holidays. Spikes in alcohol consumption, and therefore, spikes in alcohol consequences. The Fourth of July is the next holiday in this line, and my first thought was to discuss the ways in which alcohol marketing has co-opted our public holidays and celebrations.

But my second thought (and the one I decided to go with here) is to discuss choice. This past week, Youth Partnership for Change participated in the iChoose Teen Summit. This summit brings youth, ages 13-18, from around Austin to participate in day long activities, educational sessions, and entertainment around the theme of “Real Talk about Sexual Health, Love, Relationships and Being a Teen.”

Several Austin-area people and organizations joined forces to put this event on: AIDS Services of Austin, Any Baby Can, the City of Austin, Girls Empowerment Network Austin, LifeWorks, Planned Parenthood, Dr. Karen Rayne, SafePlace, Texas Health and Human Services and YouthLaunch. The energy and enthusiasm of participants, volunteers, educators, and staff was great–and got me thinking…

The emcee for iChoose was Slim Brotha of  Slim Brotha Productions. He had a great quote that I wrote down to remember:

“Life is about choices. We make choices that give us more choices, or we make choices that take other choices away.”

Choices are the options we have when we have freedom to choose–and the Fourth of July is really a celebration of our nation trying to achieve freedom for all.

Alcohol, when used in an unhealthy way, especially binge drinking and underage drinking, takes away our choices and freedoms.

I’ll be spending my Fourth celebrating my country, being thankful for my freedoms, and not forgetting the struggles of maintaining those freedoms.

Don’t let your choices change your life in an irreversible way this Fourth of July. Let freedom ring–make the choices that will lead to bigger and better choices for your future.

Photo courtesy of Morgan Frederick.

Looking For A Job? Youth Partnership For Change Is Hiring!

Community Educators Acacia and Sheetal before a YPC Presentation.

Have you ever thought about having a job that combines service, making new friends and having a whole lot of fun? If so, we have the position just for you!

Youth Partnership for Change is hiring young people between the ages 16-21 to become YPC Community Educators for the 2010-2011 program year! We are especially looking for college students who have flexible schedules to allow for presentations during the school day.

Community Educators are trained to give exciting school and community presentations to help students, parents, and community members understand the real dangers and consequences of underage alcohol use.   Community Educators are trained on public speaking, physical, social and legal consequences of underage drinking.

For more information please go to:  http://www.youthlaunch.org/programs/ypc-apply.php or email Youth Partnership for Change Program Coordinator,  Myra Constable at: mconstable@youthlaunch.org.

We are looking forward to hearing from you!!!

Memorial Day Weekend: Alcohol and Boating

Special thanks to Laurie Tapp for the use of this photo.

This weekend is Memorial Day weekend.  Memorial Day, which falls on the last Monday of May, commemorates the men and women who died while serving in the American military. Many Americans observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries or memorials, holding family gatherings and participating in parades. Unofficially, at least, it marks the beginning of summer.

I am personally looking forward to the beginning of summer and spending some quality time with family.   When I reflect on past Memorial Day weekends, I think about swimming, putting some food on the grill and having a great time with my family and friends.   The memories are so strong that I can smell the food  just thinking about it!

Growing up in Austin, I know that a lot of people will be heading out to the lakes on their boats. I want this Memorial Day to also be a great memory for you too,  so I thought I would post some reminders about alcohol and boating.

Special thanks to Darwin Bell for the use of this photo.

Alcohol and boating are becoming an extremely dangerous combination.  Here are a few important reminders from the Lower Colorado River Authority:

• It’s against the law in Texas to operate a boat when intoxicated, including a loss of mental and physical faculties or a blood alcohol content of .08 or higher.
• Designate a boat operator who won’t drink.
• Alcohol impairs your sense of balance.  A moment of dizziness can be disastrous on the water.
• Safe boating requires good vision.  Alcohol can restrict your vision and it can impair your ability to focus on objects.
• The effects of sun, wind and the motion of a rocking boat can accentuate alcohol’s effect.  Your judgment can impaired and your reactions slowed with fewer drinks than on land.  You don’t have to be drunk to be impaired.

Please have fun and be safe! Have a great Memorial Day Weekend!

Alcohol Advertisements Reaching Young People

How do you feel about alcohol advertisements on the internet? Lately, alcohol companies are exploring social media, with brands having thousands of followers on Facebook who “like” their beer or liquor.

The World Health Organization recently addressed this issue–how more and more underage youth are exposed to alcohol advertisements as technology changes. Associated Press reports: “Sports, concerts and sponsorships are being joined by e-mails, texts, podcasting and social media to reach consumers, some of them underage.” WHO, an organization of 193 counties around the world, is pledging to fight alcohol abuse–a serious health concern worldwide. With this report, hopefully more countries will understand the impact that alcohol advertisements have on our young people. Awareness creates change!

If you’re an adult, be aware of the choices you make when exposing youth to alcohol. If you’re under 21, think about what you’re “liking” before you hit the button.

Cinco de Mayo: What Are You Celebrating?

Cinco de Mayo is a day that celebrates the victory of the outnumbered Mexican army over the highly trained and better-equipped French army. It is not, as most alcohol ads would have you believe, a reason to drink Mexican beer or liquor.

Remember the true meaning behind Cinco de Mayo today. Mexican culture and heritage is certainly important to contemporary Texas culture, but let’s be mindful of the real parts of that culture to celebrate–family, food, music, dance and so much more. Have a safe Cinco de Mayo everyone!

Thanks to Bob Brown and Bisayan Lady for use of their photos.

The Connection Between R-Rated Movies and Underage Drinking

A study published in the May issue of the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs has found that middle-school aged youth exposed to R-Rated movies are more likely to drink underage that those who are not.

The doctors who conducted the story explained: ”Seeing adult content actually changes their personality,” causing them to act in more “sensation seeking” and “risk taking” behavior.

One doctor explains further, “The research to date suggests that keeping kids from R-rated movies can keep them from drinking, smoking, and doing a lot of other things that parents don’t want them to do.“

It seems exposure to adult behaviors increases a youth’s chances for engaging in those same adult behaviors. What do you think? Does this study surprise you, or does it make obvious sense?

Thanks to Jennifer Finley for the photo.

It’s That Season Again…

This post was written by YPC’s Program Specialist, Laura Maher.

It’s Springtime! The flowers are blooming, the air is warming up, and the sun (hopefully) is shining. What else does springtime mean? Teens are dressing in their formal wear and donning their caps and gowns–yep, it’s Prom and Graduation Season again!

Underage drinking is, unfortunately, one of the nasty side-effects of this season. And it’s getting scary: more teens die on the roads because of alcohol in the months of March-June than during any other time of the year.

Additionally, studies show that teens are drinking for different reasons that a generation ago–more teens report drinking alcohol because of stress, depression or emotional problems, or to escape.

What are some reasons that alcoholics report drinking? Stress, depression, emotional issues, to escape.

Teen drinking is getting especially risky and a disconnect is happening–in what teens are doing and what adults think they are doing.

Some parents we talk to at presentations have said they are reluctant to stigmatize alcohol use because they themselves tried alcohol when they were in their teens. Or that when they were young, the drinking age was still 18, not 21 as it is now.

But it’s important to remember that every body is different, and risky decision-making in adolescence can affect people as they grow up. Time and time again, studies prove that alcohol can negatively affect brain development and growth in teens, especially high-risk or binge drinking.

Furthermore, the reason for the age 21 is that it statistically reduces deaths on American highways from drunk driving. It is estimated that 900 lives a year are saved because of the 21 minimum drinking age laws.

You can do something to help stop the problem of underage drinking, especially at risky times like Prom and Graduation Season. Here are a few suggestions!

For Teens:

Be a leader. Make a pledge to avoid alcohol on Prom or Graduation night. You can still celebrate and have fun without alcohol. Get your friends in on the pledge too!

Not everyone is doing it. Statistics show that most teens still choose not to drink in high school. The perception that ALL teens drink is influenced by movies, television, and peers who brag about drinking, but the reality is that most prom and graduation nights don’t involve alcohol.

Stay off the roads as much as possible. You’ll lower your risk of being involved in an alcohol-related accident. You can make it fun! Have one place that you’ll be hanging out–invite friends, have some food, play music and games, watch a movie–the possibilities of having an alcohol-free and fun night are endless.

Be a friend. The best part of celebrating Prom or Graduation is being with your friends. Have fun safely so that you can remember those great times for years to come. Alcohol is an easy way to ruin a night–by causing drama, by making someone sick, by having to take care of a drunk person, by damaging property, by getting in trouble with your school or the police, by getting into a car accident… You can avoid all of these consequences by just choosing to stay away from alcohol.

For Parents:

Talk with your student about making healthy choices during prom and graduation season. Be honest with your teen–hopefully, it will encourage your teen to be honest with you.

Set expectations, especially on Prom or Graduation Night. Let your teen know that you want to know where they will be and who they will be with, especially if your teen will be riding in someone else’s car.

Model responsible habits with alcohol–not every celebration needs to be accompanied with champagne!

Remember, parents–not peers, or movies, or music–are still the #1 influence on their child’s decision to drink or not drink alcohol. Help them make the right choice!

Have a happy and safe Spring everyone!

Thanks to Sean McGrath, Mitchell Joyce and Andy Kainz for use of their photos.

Cartoons Market Alcohol…to Adults or Kids?

Have you heard about this? Hello Kitty Wine and Champagne is now being sold in stores in the United States.

Hello Kitty, the friendly cat cartoon of many childhoods has “grown up.” Drew Hibbert, CEO of Inovation Spirits, says: “Our tagline for the wine products is “Our favorite girl has grown up”, which is done intentionally to indicate that Hello Kitty, in her 35 years of existence, has crossed over from being a children’s brand to being a brand for children and adults alike.”

“A brand for children and adults alike” means that their branded products are also for children and adults alike. While many people out there (over the age of 21) are celebrating the fact that they may soon be able to drink with their favorite childhood icon, what about the children and youth that admire that same cartoon icon?

When cigarette companies marketed with cartoons, the public was enraged by their obvious tactics to target kids. Anyone see a difference here?

Cigarettes are deadly, and the affects of smoking can be lifelong. Alcohol can be deadly, and the affects of underage drinking are lifelong.

How does Drew Hibbert respond? The reporter asks: Has there been any worry that underage girls will want to drink it? Or that putting Hello Kitty on a wine encourages drinking among kids?

There will always be a concern when it comes to marketing a brand identity that has appeal to both adults and children. As a company, we follow all industry standards and guidelines for age verifications and ensure that our distribution and retail partners do the same. My take on it is this: with over 60,000 Hello Kitty SKU’s in the marketplace and at 35 years old now, she is definitely ready for more adult skewed products. I don’t think that the $15,000 dollar Hello Kitty handbags are aimed at children either.

He deflects the question by redirecting it to other issues–the popularity of the brand among adults and a $15,000 handbag. What do these have to do with the issue of underage alcohol use and the promotion of this wine to kids?

We need to give kids more reasons not to drink underage, rather than encourage them to do it by making pink wine bottles, decorated with stars, hearts and their favorite cartoon character.

Keep in mind, just because the cartoon is 35 years old, doesn’t mean that her fans are.

Check out The Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth for more information about alcohol advertisements and products targeting children, and The Colbert Report from April 7, 2010 for a satire on Hello Kitty wine.

Colleges+Community=A Winning Combo

This post was written by YPC’s Program Specialist, Laura Maher.

Last week, I traveled to San Antonio with Ashley Corona, a Community Educator, to facilitate the Student Track of a Community Regional Forum on Prevention. The Student Track brought students from San Antonio area colleges and universities to learn about the problem of underage and binge drinking in Texas, the environmental strategies of prevention, social hosting laws and liability, and what their community is doing to encourage safer choices for youth.

Participants of the Student Track at the 2010 Regional Forum in San Antonio

The goal for the Forums, both the Community portion and the Student Track, was collaboration. The students and adults came together at lunch and at the end of the day to present their ideas for the upcoming year. Some possible goals are a letter writing campaign, community education courses, and strengthening the community-college coalition.

One participant said, “[The best thing about the Student Track was] that different people with different ideas came together.” It was a day filled with games, discussion, reflection activities, and finally sharing information and resources–it seems they had a lot of fun, and gained skills and motivation to bring back to their campuses.

All of the participating students from San Antonio were peer educators on their campus–providing information to fellow students about healthy choices regarding alcohol and drugs. This linked the students in a powerful way–one student reflected, “I have learned that there are other students outside of my campus that are also working to empower students to make responsible decisions.”

On the right, "Despite knowing the physical and legal consequences of underage drinking, why do young people continue to drink?" and on the left, "What influences in your environment encourage youth to drink alcohol?"

Of course, the best efforts at prevention of underage alcohol use are made when people work towards common goals. However, the young people in our country are often left out of the conversation because adults either are hesitant to approach them or are unsure of how to get them involved.

What this Regional Forum has taught us, and what I’m sure the upcoming Forums in Austin, Baytown, and Lubbock, Texas will teach us, is that youth are passionate and dedicated to creating healthy change in the community. Community and campus coalitions are a great way to spread awareness of the issue, bring many people to the discussion table, and achieve success in prevention efforts.

If we believe we can change things for the better, we can–we just need the discussion to begin. The question is, then, what will you bring to the discussion table?

Our discussion tables, complete with Play-Doh to help get our minds moving!

For more information about attending a Community Regional Forum or Student Track in your area, please check out the Texans Standing Tall (TST) website. Up to 25 students can attend the Forum for free–to register for Austin on April 14, contact Myra Constable at YouthLaunch. For all other Forums, contact TST. Hope to see you there!

America’s Drunkest Cities

A new article in Men’s Health reports the “Drunkest Cities in America” for 2010. From USA Today, “The magazine, which will publish the list of 100 major cities in its March edition, drew upon such data as death rates from alcoholic liver disease, booze-fueled car crashes, frequency of binge-drinking in the past month, number of DUI arrests, and severity of DUI penalties.”

Unfortunately, Austin, Texas came in at the 5th drunkest city in the US, far above most of our states larger cities. Here’s the Top Ten:

1. Fresno, California
2. Reno, Nevada
3. Billings, Montana
4. Riverside, California
5. Austin, Texas
6. St. Louis, Missouri
7. San Antonio, Texas
8. Lubbock, Texas
9. Tucson, Arizona
10. Bakersfield, California

Austin, the “Live Music Capitol of the World,” is well-known for the downtown party scene, especially 6th Street, music events like Austin City Limits (ACL) and South by Southwest (SXSW), and UT Longhorn Football (and the tailgating that comes with it).

Despite the fact that we have thousands of travelers from all over the world visiting Austin, we can’t blame Austin’s alcohol culture on tourism. Yes, this city is fun, but too often,  these music and sporting events are sponsored by alcohol companies, and therefore are used to encourage drinking, without thinking about the impact it is having on the community around us.

Here’s what our youth had to say about growing up around an alcohol culture in Austin:

When some people think Austin, they think 6th Street, live music clubs, college parties, etc. Those events all have alcohol handy to help people supposedly have a fun night, but they can lead people to drink and drive, to drink and fight, or to drink and basically act a fool. Sadly, I’ve also seen so many people in bad car accidents or situations with the police because of alcohol. It’s a sad situation and hopefully the city of Austin will get a reality check from this so we can do something to fix this problem. –Marissa Hornsby, Senior at Connally High School

Growing up in the 5th drunkest city in American isn’t hard, but it seems once you pass 21, activities always include alcohol–parties, football games, and just chilling with friends. Sadly, the trend is starting to go younger and younger. Parties aren’t just for laughing and having fun, or playing games; now you know that there is going to be all kinds of alcohol. That brings pressure for people who don’t usually drink to drink. –Samantha Cannon, sophomore at Connally High School

Hopefully, Austin can continue to be the fun, vibrant city, but we can work together as a community to reduce our label as a drunken city.

Thanks to Ian Broyles and Caomai for the great photos for this post.