October 1st, 2008
There is no link between the 21 drinking age and teen binge drinking. The 21 drinking age saved the lives of 25,000 youths since 1985; its sole purpose is to stop teens from driving to bars with their friends, drink up, and drive home at great risk to all of us.
Parents should treat their young to the same anger and fear for safety in connection with alcohol use as they do with the other illegal drugs. We are all swimming in an alcoholized media environment that promotes drinking on every possible occasion on the internet, cable & broadcast ads, sports events, clothing, cops, T-shirts, most aimed at youth. “Beer is food” is a popularT-shirt logo for teens. Parents wake up, explain to their teens and sub-teens that the developing body during puberty is more vulnerable to alcohol addiction and alcohol poisoning than adults. The fastest growing percent of AA clients are teenagers. The last drink before teens are arrested for DWI was provided at home, or a friends’ home(90%). Parents are the keys to deter underaged drinking.
Tags: 21 drinking age, DWI, teen binge drinking
Posted in RID News | 2 Comments »
August 22nd, 2008
Many more youths die of alcohol overdose drinking mainly vodka, disguised as water in commercial water bottles. They drink alone in dorms, on campuses(1,700 die annually there of AOD). Colleges aren’t educating teen peer groups to recognize the symptoms of alcohol abuse and what to do about it. Many needless deaths occur for lack of this vital information.
However, parents and evidently the Amethyst people who offer education on college campuses, don’t know why teens shouldn’t drink alcohol. This is why: The myelin, a thin sheath surrounding the nerve leading to the brain is thin during puberty, then thickens with age, thickest at age 22. The thin, young sheath admits alcohol quickly to the brain, causing heart rate and breathing to slow. The disease of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) involves the breakdown of the myelin sheath often leading to death.
If we were scientific about health issues, the drinking age should be 22. The old disclaimer from the alcohol industry that soldiers should be allowed to drink at any age is a myth. The best soldier is sober, can aim his gun, has peripheral vision and sharp reflexes, all of which begin to fail at the .04 BAC Level according to former US Surgeon General Koop.
If parents don’t educate their 12-14 youths about this basic health information, hold beer parties at home for the kids, think “beer is food” and “know when to say when”, we will continue to develop an increase in alcohol dependency by the time these youths reach their twenties and thirties. It is shameful that none of the presidential candidates don’t push for a sane national alcohol policy at the Federal level to require health alerts after each ad aimed at youths; that drinking alcohol fast can kill in a matter of hours. No college that accepts alcohol ads on campus should receive tax dollars from the government unless they have a mandated alcohol education program involving parents. For example, no student could play sports if they failed to bring a parent to the alcohol education program held in the evening or weekends. Presidential candidates should not appear drinking “boiler makers”, a kind of binge drinking, to win votes and contributions from the alcohol industry.
Tags: alcohol ads, Amethist, College drinking
Posted in Misc., Newsletters, RID News, Site Info | 1 Comment »
August 4th, 2008
How is it that none of the presidential candidates mention the toll of over 4,000 youths who die from alcohol overdose annually, more than the total deaths of soldiers in the 5 year war in Iraq.
Are they more interested in appealing to the alcohol industry by drinking Boilermakers on national TV?
Is this a great example for the millions of youths who regard the candidates as icon?
Tags: alcohol over dose, Iraq, Presidential
Posted in RID News | No Comments »
June 30th, 2008
I saw on TV Hillary drinking a beer from a bottle, then toasting and swigging a shot of whiskey, surrounded by a group of blue collar men, smiling broadly . This nationally televised picture was a clear example of Senator Clinton’spandering to the “Good Ole Boys” in order to get votes in Kentucky and Pennslyvainia. She won the Democratic primaries in those states, handily.
Her campaign Manager, Terry McCauleff who poured shots of Puerto Rican Rum on the “AM Morning Joe Show” with the host, Mica Breizinske after Hilary won the Puerto Rico election was obviously proud of her. As a feminist, it seems unseenly to emulate the good ole boys to get votes. I don’t believe for a minute that Hillary drinks boilermakers or beer from a bottle. Why doesn’t she indulge with her favorite drink; martinis or champange. What’s wrong with alittle wine? I was disappointed that Senator Clinton use this opportunity to appeal to a certain demographic. However, I am sure that while this bar scene had the feel of being spontaneous, the decision to bottom up was well researched within her polling department.
Posted in RID News | No Comments »
May 23rd, 2008
District Attorney David Soares in Albany County with a new ruling to lower the bar for DWI offenders who have a BAC of .15 or higher has targeted a group who are perceived to be problem drinkers.
Soares says he was inspired to act in this area after a double DWI fatality occurred in Albany with both passenger and driver having extremely high BACs. While some in the criminal justice system have said this measure goes too far, it’s the kind of enforcement that certainly can save lives.
Tags: DUI Fatalities, DWI laws, Soares
Posted in RID News | 1 Comment »
April 28th, 2008
Have you hear of the latest deterant to drunk driving, the talking urinal? Restaurants and bars in New Mexico have deployed them into the restrooms. A flirty woman’s voice comes across saying, “Hey, how are you going to get home? Have you had too much to drink?” A more effective approach might be to use a stern male voice such as, “Hey you! You can’t see me but I’m a cop and I’ll be looking out for you on the road.”
If a RID person were to receive such a message they would respond, “I’m sorry I can’t hear you with the water running.”
Tags: Cop, New Mexico, Talking Urinals
Posted in RID News | No Comments »
March 29th, 2008
Ask any law enforcement official which domestic situation they’d prefer to avoid:
1) An individual or group high on liquid drugs… alcohol?
2) An individual or group high on marijuana?
Does anyone really doubt which drug has the statistically higher ratio of violence & death… even though marijuana smokers face much harsher penalties… including longer prison terms and forfeiture of assets… a drunk person would have to kill somebody to perhaps warrant such justice!
The societial sentiments of this imbalance of justice can be traced to the advertising of alcohol particularly beer. The image of that drug is portrayed as funny and harmless. The only image of marijuana is one of addiction and endless bad results that accompany it. Of course, the Alcohol industry benefits not only from the misleading PR, it also trashs one of it’s biggest competitors, pot.
If our drug policy were based on the harm inflicted by the drug in question, alcohol wouldn’t be advertised so freely and marijuana would be de-criminalized at the very least.
Tags: advertising, Alcohol, drug policy, Marijuana
Posted in RID News | 4 Comments »
February 3rd, 2008
It’s Super Bowl Sunday so hooray for all the anti-DWI efforts by police, fire stations and security officers at the Super Bowl site in Phoenix, AZ. Arizona has a higher rate of alcohol related highway deaths(45.4%) than the entire national rate(41.3%) in 2006.
Hopefully, breath testing equipment is available and used at sports bars across the Nation to prevent impaired drivers from killing and maiming our families.
The Super Bowl has gotten so big as a drinking specticle, it rivals any major holiday in alcohol consumed. A media analyist on FOX news joked that Presidential candidates didn’t want to purchase the costly TV Ads during the Super Bowl(Over $2 million for a second spot) since most of the viewers would be intoxicated and unable to comprehend or retain any message in their commercial. This is a rare example of the media telling the truth about the effects of alcohol. It also a sad commentary on how acceptable getting drunk is on Super Sunday.
Posted in RID News | 2 Comments »
December 30th, 2007
When former New York Yankee star Jim Levitz allegedly ran through a red light, hit another car killing its occupant, he got out of jail, almost immediately by posting an $11,000 bond. Too bad his alleged victim had no recourse, live at 30 years of age, she was dead. Levitz was charged with DUI and killing another driver. Did he have time to sober up before being released? What is your take on Florida DUI laws?
Posted in RID News | 4 Comments »
December 17th, 2007
After listening to many of the Presidential debates for both sides, I didn’t hear anyone complain about the alcohol ads aimed at teeenagers, and only one candidate spoke in favor of restoring the Fairness Docutrine(Democratic Rep. Dennis Kusinich). Without the Fairness Docutrine the public has no mandating access to cable or network television. How about complaining about that to your favorite candidate?
Posted in RID News | 3 Comments »
