September 12, 2008
In this issue:
Advocates of Lowering Drinking Age Shouldn’t Use Military to Push Their Cause
The Amethyst Initiative, an effort by a group of college presidents to lower the legal drinking age to 18 in order to curb binge drinking on college campuses, has received immediate reaction from the underage drinking prevention community and now, representatives of the military. An Op-Ed from a retired Air Force Colonel provides another perspective and highlights the flaw in the assumption that if young people are old enough to fight for our country, they should be able to drink.
Congratulations to Oregon Drug Free Communities Grantees!
Congratulations to the Oregon recipients of Drug Free Communities Grants! In total, Oregon has 28 Drug free Communities grants. Nine new grants were awarded this year to Oregon coalitions, and eighteen regular continuation and one mentor continuation grant were also awarded.
Originally funded by Congress in 1997, the Drug Free Communities (DFC) program now supports over 700 drug-free community coalitions across the United States, providing the funding necessary for communities to identify and respond to local substance use problems.
Click here for a complete list of grantees.
Kudos to Fred Meyer: Responsibility Over Profits
Fred Meyer Stores deserve a major thank you for its decision to discontinue all advertising of alcohol related tee shirts. Oregon Partnership complained to Fred Meyer management after spotting a photo of shirts in a Fred Meyer back-to-school ad. Kelly Perry, Vice President of Merchandiser Men's Apparel, not only apologized for the oversight, but said the company would no longer place ads for the shirts.
Click here to read OP's letter to Fred Meyer.
Click here to read Fred Meyer's response letter.
Don't Miss: Internet Safety & Privacy - Practical Advice for Parenting Your High-Tech Kids!
Hear the very latest on what YOU can do to keep your family safe and informed about the ever-changing online universe. The training will be led by Shawn Marshall, Licensed Professional Counselor at the Children’s Program, a Portland diagnostic & treatment clinic. Shawn says “Kids aren’t as savvy when it comes to the unexpected ramifications of instant messaging, their MySpace page and all the other uses of the Internet. And that’s where informed parenting comes in.”
The Internet Safety training will take place on Wednesday, October 1, from Noon - 1:30 pm at Montgomery Park located at 2701 NW Vaughn Avenue, in Portland. Registration is only $30, including lunch and free parking.
To register, email Danny Slifman or call 503-244-5211.
Click here for more information.
Click here to download the training flyer.
Breaking News: CSPI Sues MillerCoors - You Can Help
The nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest today filed suit against MillerCoors Brewing Company, formerly Miller, over its alcoholic energy drink, Sparks. The product has more alcohol than regular beer and contains unapproved additives, including the stimulants caffeine and guarana. The lawsuit is asking the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to stop MillerCoors from selling the controversial drink, which is also under scrutiny from state attorneys general.
Click here to take action and help CSPI make the case against sparks.
Alcohol Marketplace Campaign newsletter
The Alcohol Marketplace Campaign newsletter is designed to educate people about the campaign to stop efforts to de-regulate the sale and marketing of alcohol. Because alcohol is not an ordinary commodity, such as tires or mayonnaise, it must be sold with care and restraint. Examples from other parts of the world demonstrate that alcohol and the “free marketplace” are a bad mix and come with major social problems.
Click here to read the September Alcohol Marketplace Campaign newsletter.
New National Survey Shows Continued Decline in Youth Substance Abuse
Current illicit drug use among teens is continuing to decline, according to a new report released by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The study also shows positive signs that teens are seeing the dangers of abusing prescription drugs and methamphetamine. Among youth ages 12-17, the 2007 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), the Nation’s largest substance use survey, shows that the significant decline in overall past month illicit drug use that began in 2002 continued through 2007, from 11.6 percent to 9.5 percent.
Click here for more information on the new report.
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.
