Prevention Extension Workshop Series
Community Action to
Reduce Binge Drinking
Brought to you by the Community Prevention Institute through its contract
with the California Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs
Definition
 Binge
(High risk ) drinking is
the consumption of alcohol to
the extent that harmful
consequences - health,
academic, legal, and others may be expected.
Quantity and Frequency of
Alcohol Use

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In 2002, 51 percent of persons aged 12 or older were
current drinkers.
Current drinkers aged 12 to 17 and young adults aged
18 to 25 drank more drinks per day on the days they
drank alcohol than adults aged 26 or older.
Current drinkers aged 18-25 were more likely to drive
under the influence of alcohol during the past year
than drinkers aged 26 or older.
Source: The National Survey on Drug Use and Health, SAMHSA, Dec, 2003.
Alcohol Use and Risks among
Young Adults
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Almost 2 in 5 young adults, aged 18-24, regardless of
college enrollment, reported binge drinking.
Full-time students, aged 18-21 had higher rates of
binge drinking than nonstudents (c. 40-60%)
Nonstudents, aged 18-21, reported binge rates of c.
30%-45%.
Source: The National Survey on Drug Use and Health, SAMHSA, Dec, 2003.
Alcohol Use and Risks among
Young Adults
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Non students were less likely than full-time
students to use seat belts while driving
Non students were less likely than full-time
students to drive while under the influence of
alcohol
Source: The National Survey on Drug Use and Health, SAMHSA, Dec, 2003.
Alcohol Use and Risks among
Young Adults


In 1999, 44% of college students reported
binge drinking, the same rate as in 1993.
Nearly 70% of binge-drinking college students
began binge drinking in high school.
Source: Henry Wechsler, !999 College Alcohol Study, Harvard School of Public Health.
Students Reporting Drinking In The
Last 30 Days:
 20%
of 8th graders
 35% of 10th graders
 49% of 12th graders
Source: Monitoring the Future national results on adolescent drug use: Overview of key findings,
2002. (NIH Publication No. 03-5374). Bethesda, MD: National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Frequent intoxication (5+ drinks per
occasion within the last two weeks)
 12%
of 8th graders
 22% of 10th graders
 29% of 12th graders
Source: Monitoring the Future national results on adolescent drug use: Overview of key findings,
2002. (NIH Publication No. 03-5374). Bethesda, MD: National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Second-hand Effects:
Impact on the Individual
Unplanned/unprotected sex
 Fights, sexual assault
 Traffic & other injuries or fatalities
 Damage to physical, cognitive &
social development
 School performance
 Contributes to homicides/suicides

Second-hand Effects:
Impact on the Community
Vandalism and property damage
 Increased noise, trash
 Costs related to increased police
calls, emergency/medical services,
lost productivity, etc.

EFFECTIVE PRACTICES AT THE
COMMUNITY LEVEL 1
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Increased enforcement of MLDA (Minimum Legal
Drinking Age) laws
Implementation, increased publicity, and enforcement
of other laws to reduce alcohol-impaired driving
Restrictions on alcohol retail density
NIAAA Task Force on College Drinking, (2002),“A Call to Action: Changing the Culture of Drinking at U.S. Colleges.”
www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov/
EFFECTIVE PRACTICES AT THE
COMMUNITY LEVEL 2
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Increased price and excise taxes on alcoholic
beverages
Responsible beverage service policies in social
and commercial settings
Formation of a campus community coalition
NIAAA Task Force on College Drinking, (2002),“A Call to Action: Changing the Culture of Drinking at
U.S. Colleges.” www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov/
PROMISING PRACTICES

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Increasing publicity about enforcement of
underage drinking laws/eliminating “mixed”
messages
Provision of “safe rides” programs
Regulation of happy hours and sales
NIAAA Task Force on College Drinking, (2002),“A Call to Action: Changing the Culture of Drinking at U.S.
Colleges.” www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov/
INEFFECTIVE PRACTICES

Informational, knowledge-based or values
clarification interventions when used alone.
NIAAA Task Force on College Drinking, (2002),“A Call to Action: Changing the Culture of Drinking at U.S.
Colleges.” www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov/
ENVIRONMENTAL
STRATEGY
CREATE POLICIES, NORMS AND
LAWS WHICH AFFECT ENTIRE
GROUPS OF PEOPLE WHERE
THEY LIVE, WORK OR PLAY
Environmental policies make it
easier to do what’s safe and
healthy and harder to do what’s
unsafe and unhealthy
Environmental policies
Keep sending the same
messages and thus create
new norms
INDIVIDUAL
CHANGE
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FOCUS: individual
behavior
GOAL: personal
control of alcohol
TOOLS: education,
treatment, small
group activities
WHO: professional &
client/patient
Lawrence Wallack et al. Media Advocacy and Public
Health: Power for Prevention. Sage Publications,
Newbury Park, CA, 1993.
VS ENVIRONMENTAL
CHANGE
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FOCUS: policy, laws,
norms
GOAL: community
control of alcohol
TOOLS: media and
policy advocacy,
social pressure
WHO: shared/
community power
ENVIRONMENTAL RISK FACTORS OF
ALCOHOL
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Easy access and availability
Low cost and taxes
Heavy advertising and promotion
Weak laws/Unenforced laws
High consumption/abusive drinking norms
Pro-alcohol media
Easy Access & Availability
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Sales to minors
High density of outlets (stores, bars)
Drive-in & gas station sales, home
delivery
Unmonitored service (to minors or
intoxicated drinkers, open bars)
Long sales hours
Strategies to Keep Alcohol Cheap and
Consumption Up
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Low taxes
Cheap drinks: 2-for-1, all you can drink,
discounts, free drink coupons
No tax on advertising
Shifting costs (e.g., to admission, food) thus making each additional drink seem
cheap or free
Alcohol Advertising and
Promotion Strategies
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Equate alcohol with fun, sex, music,
sports, adult glamour
Ignore harmful consequences
Fail to mention abstinence
Focus on individual responsibility
Present alcohol as a valued product
produced by good citizens
Actions to Target Youth
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sponsor sports, music, festivals
billboards near schools & recreation
novelty items: clothing, sports equipment,
promotional items, contests, websites
help to lower drinking age
Norms That Increase Risk
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It’s only alcohol, not drugs
Drink till you drop
Hospitality means lots of drinks
Kids have always drunk - look at me
Socializing and fun = alcohol
It’s all the responsibility of the individual
drinker
The alcohol industry uses the mass
media to:
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Promote its products and brands
Target current and potential drinkers
Gain influence (via advertising $$) to
promote itself and its viewpoints
Blame youth and individual abusers
Downplay its role in politics and alcoholrelated problems
PRICING CONTROLS
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RAISE EXCISE TAXES
RESTRICT PRICE PROMOTION
RESTRICT DISCOUNTS
INCREASE LICENSING FEES
INCREASE INFRACTION PENALTIES
ELIMINATE TAX EXEMPTION FOR ADVERTISING
ACCESS CONTROLS - GENERAL
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LICENSE OUTLETS WITH SERVER
REQUIREMENTS
ABC LAWS
RESTRICT HOURS, DAYS, LOCATIONS,
LOCAL PROHIBITION
RESTRICT OUTLET TYPES, NUMBER
RESTRICT SERVING PRACTICES
ACCESS CONTROLS - GENERAL 2
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REQUIRE SERVER AND RETAILER TRAINING
SERVER LIABILITY LEGISLATION:
-FOR SERVERS & RETAILERS
-FOR ADULTS SELLING OR PROVIDING ALCOHOL
MINORS

TO
ELIMINATE SALES/SERVICE AT PUBLIC EVENTS
OR LOCATIONS
ACCESS CONTROLS - YOUTH
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MINIMUM DRINKING AGE
GRADUATED LICENSING AND “ZERO
TOLERANCE” LEGISLATION
SERVER LIABILITY
MERCHANT EDUCATION
ENFORCEMENT OF SELLING
RESTRICTIONS
ACCESS AND USE CONTROLS DRIVING
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DUI LAWS & ENFORCEMENT
OPEN CONTAINER LAWS
RESTRICT HOURS OF SERVICE
BAN DRIVE-IN, HOME DELIVERY AND GAS
STATION SALES
INTERLOCK DEVICES
ADVERTISING & PROMOTION
CONTROLS
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CONTROL CONTENT AND MEDIA
REDUCE POINT OF SALE MERCHANDISING
COUNTER-ADVERTISING
REDUCE SPONSORSHIP OF SPORTS AND
MUSICAL EVENTS
HEALTH WARNING LABELS
ADVERTISING AND PROMOTION
CONTROLS 2
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BAN ADVERTISING IN OR NEAR SCHOOLS
AND CAMPUSES
SCHOOL BANS ON WEARING OF CLOTHES
WITH ADVERTISING
EDUCATE COMMUNITY ON COSTS OF
ALCOHOL USE AND ABUSE
ADVERTISING AND PROMOTION
CONTROLS 3
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INCREASE TRUTH IN ADVERTISING
ADVOCACY, MEDIA EVENTS, EDUCATION
ABOUT THE REALITY OF ALCOHOL USE
AND PROMOTION
CONTROL “IMAGE” PACKAGING AND
LABELING
Youth are not the primary
producers, promoters,
distributors, sellers, or
users of alcohol
.............ADULTS AND
ADULT BUSINESSES ARE
[adult drinkers / brewers, distillers & wine
producers / bars, taverns, restaurants /
mass media / advertising / merchants /
etc.]
Youth can’t control . . .
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Alcohol Prices
Alcohol Taxes
Alcohol Advertising & Promotion
Alcohol Sales and Distribution
Alcohol Laws & Regulations . . . . . .
or, the government,
voters or businesses that do control these
communities
can !!
Priority Grid
High
Feasibility
High
Impact
Low
Impact
Low
Feasibility
TARGET GROUPS
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Whose behavior do you want to change?
May be multiple groups
What’s the rationale for your choice?
POTENTIAL TARGET GROUPS
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Policy makers
Media
General Public
Parents
Alcohol providers
Youth
ACTION PLAN
What
is the best way to achieve
change?
What data do we need?
What is the issue?
ACTION PLAN
Who
must be mobilized?
What is the message?
Who can make the change?
ACTION PLAN
What
needs to be done?
Who will take action?
When?
ELEMENTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL
PREVENTION MODEL
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Data
Community Organizing
Policy/Strategy Goal
Media Advocacy
Enforcement
SAMPLE SCENARIO 1
MEDIA REPORTS ON
STUDENT DRINKING
AND BAR SPECIALS
PARENTS & OTHER
COMMUNITY MEMBERS
CONTACT
POLICY MAKERS
CITY COUNCIL
ENACTS
ORDINANCE
SAMPLE SCENARIO 2
POLICY MAKERS
BAN DRINK
SPECIALS
PRICE OF
DRINKS
INCREASES
YOUTH
DRINK
LESS
VANDALISM
DECREASES
MEASURING PROGRESS
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Public awareness
Media support
Policy change
Second Hand Effects
Drinking behavior
NATIONAL DATA SOURCES
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Monitoring the Future
National Survey on Drug Use and Health
NIAAA—College Drinking Prevention
Harvard School of Public Health, College Alcohol
Study
SAMHSA—Clearinghouse
LOCAL & STATE DATA SOURCES
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California Healthy Kids Survey (CHK)
ASIPS/GIS mapping
Place of Last Drink (POLD)
SWITRS—California Highway Patrol
Police Department
Emergency Medical Services
Hospital Discharge Data
NEXT STEPS
 What will your next step be?
 What resources are available?
Free Technical Assistance is available through:
Community Prevention Institute
Phone: (916) 983-8929 • Fax: (916) 983-5738
www.ca-cpi.org
Please see the TA request form in the
front pocket of your binder!
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