February 5, 2009
In this issue:
Oregon Partnership Warns of Major Consequences if Burgerville is Allowed to Sell Beer and Wine
Oregon Partnership believes there are red flags all over the decision by a Burgerville restaurant in Clark County, Washington to apply for a state liquor license so it can begin serving beer and wine. “As a non-profit involved in the prevention of alcohol and drug abuse, we hope this isn't the start of a trend,” said Pete Schulberg, Oregon Partnership's Communication Director. “Fast food restaurants are filled with young customers and young employees. That's a mix you don't want when you are considering the sale of alcohol.”
Oregon Partnership has expressed its concerns to Jeff Harvey, President and CEO of The Holland Inc., the Vancouver-based Burgerville's parent company, and to the Washington State Liquor Control Board.
Click here to read the entire news release.
National Children of Alcoholics Week, February 8-14
During Children of Alcoholics Week you and your organization can do much to spread the word that children living with addiction in the family need the support of caring adults. During this week we can join together to raise awareness that children of alcoholics can be encouraged and supported to seek help and that they can and should have access to caring adults who provide that help.
To help create awareness for children of alcoholics, and to serve as a resource for young people who are living with addiction in their families, www.shoutinginside.com was created last year as part of a community awareness project of Recovery Resources of Cleveland.
Click here for more information.
Click here to download the National Children of Alcoholics Week poster.
Military Addiction Treatment Bill Introduced
Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) has introduced legislation that would make addiction treatment more available to members of the military and provide more privacy protections to service members who seek help for alcohol and other drug problems.
"Our men and women in uniform deserve the very best health care available," McCaskill said in a press release. "Substance abuse is a medical problem and to think they can't get the help they need, or worse receive punishment instead of treatment is outrageous."
Click here to read the rest of the story.
Save the Date: 2009 Spring A&D Prevention Summit and Drug Free Communities Training
Save the Date: The 2009 Spring A&D Prevention Summit and Drug Free Communities Training will take place on May 5, 6 and 7 in Eugene, Oregon. The Drug Free Communities Meeting (open to all) will take place on May 5, and the A&D Prevention Summit (open to all) will take place on May 6 and 7.
The training is sponsored by the Oregon Department of Human Services, Addictions and Mental Health Division.
Click here to download a draft agenda.
Oregon Partnership Says Claire's Response to Flask Flap Comes Up Woefully Short
Oregon Partnership and advocacy groups around the nation called on teen accessory store chain Icing by Claire's to stop selling girl-friendly flasks. The multicolored flasks with a myriad of designs are predominantly displayed at Icing by Claire's stores, which, according to the company website, focus on a customer base that includes teenage girls.
Responding to calls to stop selling alcohol flasks in its stores catering to teen customers, Icing by Claire's says it will continue selling the flasks at its 3,000 stores. But according to a company spokesman, the store will post signs at store counters supporting “responsible” alcohol consumption.
Click here for more information.
Children Vote Beer Commercials Among Their Favorite Super Bowl Ads
In a survey conducted by Drug-Free Action Alliance, Ohio youth selected Super Bowl commercials for alcohol, specifically beer commercials, among their favorites. The Super Bowl is almost as famous for its commercials as it is for the game itself. At an estimated $3 million per 30-second advertisement, these are big investments for advertisers.
More than 8,400 youth in middle and high school participated in this year's survey. Of those expressing a favorite commercial, the top two spots are for Doritos followed by three ads for Anheuser-Busch alcohol products.
Do you have information to share with your prevention colleagues around the state? Please send to: dslifman@orpartnership.org.
Thank you for your continued support of this publication.
