ILCAAAP News, April 2008, Volume 71, No. 1

Saving Lives: Prevent and Reduce Underage Drinking

April is Alcohol Awareness Month

Alcohol is the drug most frequently used by American teenagers. Young people drink alcohol more frequently than they use all other illicit drugs combined and alcohol is the drug responsible for more than 6,500 deaths per year: motor vehicle accidents account for 2,400 deaths, unintentional death by fire, falls, overdose account for 2,400 deaths, homicides account for 1,600 deaths and suicide accounts for about 300 deaths per year!

Underage drinking is a critical public health issue in America. Alcohol is a drug that can affect judgment, coordination and long-term health. In fact, recent scientific research suggests that early use of alcohol by teenagers may contribute significantly to dependence on alcohol and other drugs later in life, with 40% of children who begin using alcohol before the age of 13 becoming alcohol dependent at some point in their lives.

Yet there are too many who dismiss underage drinking as a "youthful indiscretion" or a rite of passage from adolescence into adulthood, and many underage drinkers are often first presented with alcohol in their own dining rooms, living rooms and kitchens. Alcohol is strongly marketed to underage drinkers and associated with athletic and social events popular with high school and college students. Establishments knowingly serve underage drinkers, often with a wink and a nod to fake identification.

The annual economic cost of underage drinking is estimated to be nearly $62 billion. And, underage drinking accounted for at least 16% of alcohol sales in 2001.

"Alcohol is a drug -- a powerful, mood-altering drug - and alcoholism is a disease," says Dr. Robert Morse, Board member of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc. (NCADD) and recently retired from the world-famous Mayo Clinic where he was Director of Addictive Disorders. "Over the past two decades, scientific research has revolutionized our understanding of how drugs affect the brain. We now know that prolonged, repeated drug and alcohol use can result in fundamental, long-lasting changes in brain structure and functioning."

This is one of the reasons underage drinking is so critical. Not only are there a whole set of increased risks in the short-term, including traffic crashes, violent crime, burns, drowning, suicide attempts, fetal alcohol syndrome, alcohol poisonings and high-risk sexual behavior, if an underage drinker is able to make it out of adolescence and into adulthood, the long-term physical and biochemical effects put these drinkers at risk for the rest of their lives.

"Progress has been made, says Robert J. Lindsey, President/CEO of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc. (NCADD) "and recent declines in past-month alcohol consumption and binge drinking rates among high school students are encouraging, We all have a stake in keeping this number on the decline," says Lindsey. "We need to educate ourselves - as parents, teachers, counselors, friends - that the earlier children are exposed to the adverse effects of addictive substances such as alcohol, the greater the probability of alcoholism and addiction."

NOTE: In Illinois past month alcohol use among persons aged 12 to 20 was 28.62 percent while binge drinking in the past month was 19.48 percent for youth 12 to 20. Source: SAMHSA, Office of Applied Studies, National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2005-2006.

While the issue of underage drinking is a complex problem, one which can only be solved through a sustained and cooperative effort between parents, schools, community leaders, and the children themselves, there are four areas which have proven to be effective in prevention and intervention of underage drinking:

  1. curtailing the availability of alcohol to underage populations;
  2. consistent enforcement of existing laws and regulations regarding alcohol purchase; and
  3. changing cultural misconceptions and behaviors about alcohol use through education
  4. expanded access to treatment and recovery support for adolescents.

"As a society, we've got to do a far better job increasing awareness and understanding among the public and our young people that underage alcohol use is extremely risky behavior, not only in their own lives, but with the lives of friends, neighbors, and loved ones," says Lindsey. "Underage drinking is not a rite of passage and each and every one of us have a responsibility to support expanded community efforts."

Reprinted from: National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc. Annual Alcohol Awareness Month packet, April, 2008.

Staff Activities

In order to give our readers an idea of how and where their donations are allocated, some of our activities are listed on this here.

ILCAAAP Teen Board member Lindsey Harwood was interviewed by the Springfield media prior to the Community Briefing on March 6. The ILCAAAP Teen Board joined over 350 youth groups representing 49 states to take part in this national Take It Back youth movement to reduce alcohol problems. Thank you to co-sponsors Springfield YMCA and Springfield High School.

Anita Bedell, ILCAAAP, and Amy Yeager, (L to R) IL Society of Public Health Education attended the 3-day kick-off of Spotlighting Positive Youth Development at the National 4-H Conference Center in Maryland. Illinois was one of 6 states chosen for this one year project. Other team members: Robyn Block, IL SADD Coordinator, Albert Holmes, IL State Board of Education, Randyl Block, Youth Board Trainer, and Zak Harrell, youth.

The ILCAAAP Teen Board conducted a Community Alcohol Survey in Springfield and reported the results at the Community Briefing to Panelists (L to R): State Rep. Raymond Poe, Springfield Alderman Kris Theilen, Lark Kirchner, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and Annie Muller, College Nursing Instructor and ER worker.

Dan Davis, an international youth trainer from New York, is pictured above processing with the high school after a team building exercise at the ILCAAAP Interfaith Youth Prevention Retreat.. Dan also shared his story of addiction, recovery, and hope at the retreat at Central Baptist Church in Springfield.

ILCAAAP Teen Board members performed skits and led workshops at the Interfaith Youth Prevention Retreat on February 15-16. To schedule a Teen Board presentation, call 877-204-6863 or contact www.ilcaaap.org.

Town Hall Meetings on Underage Drinking

More than 50 Town Hall Meetings on Underage Drinking will be held in Illinois the first week of April. ILCAAAP is leading a coalition in Sangamon County to host a Town Hall Meeting in Springfield on April 3 from 7:00 to 8:30 pm at Bunn Auditorium. All are invited to attend.

These forums are part of a national effort to increase understanding and awareness about underage drinking and its consequences, and to encourage individuals, families, and communities to address the problem.

More than two-thirds of Illinois teens report using alcohol, and one-quarter of Illinois high school seniors admit they have driven a car while under the influence of alcohol, according to the Illinois Department of Human Services. Half of all fatal automobile crashes involving teens are alcohol related, and 3,100 Illinois teens received treatment for alcohol addiction at state-funded programs last year.

"Alcohol continues to be the number one drug problem in Illinois and is a serious threat to the health and safety of our young people," said Governor Rod R. Blagojevich. "We encourage all citizens to become involved and join in the town hall meetings in their communities. Together we can find solutions to underage drinking and help prevent senseless tragedies that happen when young people drink alcohol."

Legislation Highlights

Alcohol Legislation

SB2231 allows alcohol to be delivered and sold at Triton College. Most students drive to Community colleges, and many students are under 21 years of age.

SB2322 - Provides that alcoholic liquors may be served or sold in buildings under the control of the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois for events that the Board determines are public events and not related student activities.

Underage drinking and college binge drinking are public health and safety issues that need to be addressed. In an attempt to prevent these problems, other colleges have stopped alcohol at campus events. Call your Legislators and ask them to OPPOSE making alcohol more available at colleges.

HB 1809 allows alcohol to be sold near a church and school in Chicago. Each year the Legislature passes exemptions to the Illinois Liquor Control Act. Developers and restaurant owners know that alcohol is not to be sold within 100 feet of a church or school. Instead of obeying the law, they opt to change to law with more exemptions.

SB 2472 changes the definition of "alcopop" to include energy drinks containing alcohol or other stimulants (caffeine, ginseng, guarana, taurine). Provides requirements for alcopop container labels to include the words "alcoholic beverage" or "contains alcohol" and "It is a violation punishable under law for any person under the age of 21 to attempt to purchase or consume an alcoholic beverage". Call your Senator and ask him/her to SUPPORT this legislation.

Marijuana Legislation

SB 2865 legalizes marijuana for medical use. SB 2865 allows anyone 21 or older to possess 12 marijuana plants and 2.5 ounces of usable marijuana for up to 5 qualifying patients (maximum of 60 plants and 12.5 ounces). The bill allows an unlimited number of medical marijuana organization to supply marijuana to an unlimited number of registered qualifying patients. If 500 people named the same organization as a primary caregiver, they could grow 6,000 plants and have over 78 pounds of usable marijuana. This is a public safety issue and danger to a neighborhood or community.

The bill is full of loopholes. Illinois has zero tolerance laws for marijuana and other controlled substances. This bill will impact all the drunk/drugged driving laws and drug-free workplace laws. SB 2865 requires all marijuana for medical use to be grown indoors in Illinois, which raises additional questions about insurance, fire, and health risks.

HB 4715 provides that police officers can issue citations in lieu of arrest to people suspected of a misdemeanor violation of the Cannabis Control Act and the Illinois Controlled Substances Act. A court appearance is not required if the person intends to plead guilty. This is similar to a speeding ticket, where the person would forfeit the cash bail to pay for the fines, penalty, and costs.

Call your state Legislators (217-782-2000) to voice your concerns.

Gambling Legislation

The House and Senate are considering many gambling expansion bills during the Spring Legislative Session. Call your state Legislators (217-782-2000) to voice your opposition.

HB 1352 Selling/Leasing the Lottery
HB 4128 Expands the Lottery on the Internet. Anyone 18 and older can gamble on the Lottery on public or private computers, cell phones, blackberries, etc.
HB 4581 A riverboat casino in Danville
HB 4619 Two new riverboat licenses, 1% increase in tax to host community
HB 4758 Expansion of horse racing at the State Fairgrounds from 2 weeks to 6-9 months and opens the door for slots at the track and Internet gambling if approved by Legislators
HB 4194 Massive expansion of gambling (slots at racetracks, land-based casino in Chicago, electronic poker, almost doubling gambling positions, Internet gambling on horses)
SB 2021 Increase price and payout of bingo at Sr. Citizens programs
SB 2099 Opens the door for a massive expansion by legalizing the sale of Lottery tickets "by any electronic means"--Keno, Video Lottery Terminals, and the Internet.

CSPI to Sue Anheuser-Busch, Miller over Alcoholic Energy Drinks

Lawyers for the nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest served Anheuser-Busch and Miller Brewing Company with notices of CSPI's intent to sue the companies over a new generation of caffeinated alcoholic drinks.

Drinks such as Anheuser-Busch's Bud Extra and Tilt, and Miller's Sparks, have more alcohol than beer and contain stimulant additives that are not officially approved for use in alcoholic drinks, including caffeine, taurine, ginseng, or guarana.

No studies are available to support the safety of consuming those stimulants and alcohol together-but new research does indicate that the young consumers of what CSPI calls "alcospeed" are more likely to binge drink, become injured, ride with an intoxicated driver, or be taken advantage of sexually than drinkers of conventional alcoholic drinks. And the viral marketing campaigns behind the drinks are clearly designed to appeal to young, and often underage, drinkers, according to CSPI.

The companies are also being investigated by 16 state attorneys general, who recently subpoenaed internal company documents pertaining to the products' sales and marketing. Last August, a task force of 30 state attorneys general warned the companies that "adding caffeine and other stimulants to alcohol may increase the risk to young consumers because those additives tend to reduce the perception of intoxication and make greater quantities of alcohol palatable."

"The risk of serious and potentially deadly consequences is significantly higher for students who mix energy drinks and alcohol," said Dr. Mary Claire O'Brien, Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine and Public Health Sciences at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. "Energy drinks mask the symptoms of drunkenness-but not the drunkenness itself. Students may feel that they are 'ok to drive' when physically they are actually intoxicated. We know that annually 2.8 million college student drive drunk each year, and that injury is the number one killer in that age group. Energy drinks and alcohol don't mix."

A 2007 survey of 2,886 college students conducted by Dr. O'Brien and her Wake Forest colleagues found that consumption of alcohol mixed with energy drinks was associated with increased heavy episodic drinking, and a significantly higher prevalence of alcohol-related consequences. That research included energy drink cocktails, such as hard liquor mixed with nonalcoholic drinks like Red Bull, as well as drinks like Tilt, Sparks, and Bud Extra.

CSPI Press Release, February 28, 2008

Study Finds Significant Early Drinking in Chicago Schools

Research Summary

A study of more than 4,000 sixth-graders in Chicago schools found that 17 percent said that they had used alcohol within the past year, and that those who reported drinking were more likely to get into fights, shoplift, and get into trouble in school, Reuters reported March 11.

Drinking sixth-graders also were more likely than their non-drinking peers to be unsupervised by adults outside of school, according to the study by Keryn Pasch of the University of Minnesota School of Public Health and colleagues. Pasch said the research pointed to the need for more parental involvement and prevention programs aimed at younger students.

The research was published in the journal Health Education and Behavior.

This article summarizes and external report or press release on research published in a scientific journal.

Join Together, March 12, 2008

Young Drinkers Face Array of Health Problems Later in Life

Research Summary

Heart disease, stroke and diabetes are just some of the health problems facing people over age 35 who started drinking heavily during their teens and as young adults, Reuters reported Jan. 25.

Researchers said that early, heavy drinkers are more likely to develop "metabolic syndrome" -- a cluster of health problems including obesity, high blood pressure, low levels of "good" cholesterol, high blood sugar, and high triglycerides. They drew their conclusions from studying the lifetime drinking patterns of 2,800 adults ages 35-80.

Early drinkers were defined as those who started drinking early in life and tended to drink heavily in their teens and as young adults. They were more than one-third more likely to develop metabolic syndrome than adults who drank moderately over their lifespan.

The research appears in the January 2008 issue of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

Reprinted from Join Together, January 28, 2008

Churches Giving to ILCAAAP/Illinois Churches in Action

November 28, 2007 thru March 10, 2008

Century Churches giving to ILCAAAP/Illinois Churches in Action

Donations of $100 or more

Church Conferences & Church Organizations giving to ILCAAAP/Illinois Churches in Action

Memorial Gifts

To Help The Living


In Honor of
Sister Pauletta Overbeck
by
Anonymous

In Memory of
Jennifer & Jackie Esworthy
by
Jim and Barb Esworthy

In Memory of
May Zanta
by
Robert & Emma Albrecht

In Memory of
Gordon Gable
by
Salt Creek United Methodist Parish
Weldon United Methodist Church

In Memory of
James L. Kuhn
by
Alice Martin

For God has not given us a spirit of fear,
but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
2 Timothy 1:7

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