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Apolo Anton Ohno, the most decorated U.S. Winter Olympian in history and star of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, (eight-record breaking Olympic medals in short-track speed skating) has partnered with The Century Council and its Ask, Listen, Learn: Kids and Alcohol Don’t Mix program. Today in Greenwood Village, Ohno, in conjunction with the newly formed Apolo Anton Ohno Foundation, began a five-city tour to schools throughout the U.S. encouraging kids to say “YES” to a healthy lifestyle and “NO” to underage drinking. The Apolo Anton Ohno Foundation, established by the eight-time Olympic medalist, will focus on providing youth of all ages and socio-economic backgrounds with the opportunity to play sports, be active and learn about the benefits of making responsible and positive choices. (Source: Medical News Today, 3/8/10)

‘Side Stepping Alcohol Misuse’, an alcohol awareness project run by London Active Communities and Premier Rugby, is due to kick off across the country this month after receiving £100,000 funding from the charity, Drinkaware. The ground-breaking new youth inclusion project will see specially trained community staff from Premiership Rugby Clubs and local youth workers deliver sports-based alcohol education to young people aged 13 to 19. The programme will target hard to reach and disadvantaged communities in 12 areas, including Newcastle, Leeds and London. (Source: Medical News Today, 3/5/10)

A growing number of colleges are alerting parents whenever their children under age 21 are involved in alcohol-related incidents at school. Previously, schools like Virginia Tech would only inform parents if the student’s alcohol use resulted in arrest or a hospital visit. …Colleges also have realized that parents can be very effective in changing student drinking behavior. “Students are more concerned about their parents being notified than they are of the legal consequences,” said Edward Spencer, vice president for student affairs at Virginia Tech. (Source: Join Together, 2/26/10)

Black Adults’ Alcohol Use And Binge Drinking Levels Are Below The National Average.
The current alcohol use rate for blacks aged 18 and older is significantly lower than the national adult average (44.3 percent versus 55.2 percent) according to a new study based on a national survey. The study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) also reveals that black adults have a lower rate of current binge drinking than the national adult average (21.7 percent versus 24.5 percent). Young black adults (aged 18 -25) are markedly less likely to be currently engaged in binge drinking than young adults in the general population (25.3 percent versus 41.6 percent). … (Source: Medical News Today, 2/26/10)

Youths who call for help when underage drinkers get sick from drinking will get leniency — but not a free pass — from the courts under legislation approved by a Utah Senate panel. (Source: Join Together, 2/24/10)

The South Dakota House Commerce Committee rejected a bill that would have lowered the state’s legal drinking age from 21 to 19, the Associated Press reported Feb. 22.
The measure went down to defeat on a 10-3 vote. Bill sponsor Rep. Tim Rounds had proposed allowing 19-year-olds to drink in certain clubs where only beer was sold, saying the measure would provide a controlled environment for young drinkers and cut down on drunk driving. (Source: Join Together, 2/23/10)

The rate of alcohol-related fatal car crashes has risen among some populations of female drivers, a worrying trend that runs counter to the decline in such crashes among young men.
ScienceDaily reported Feb. 18 that an analysis of U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data found that the rate of fatal car crashes where drivers had alcohol in their system fell among all age groups of men studied up to age 20 (16 to 20) and remained the same among 21- to 24-year-olds. (Source: Join Together, 2/23/10)

Reacting to a Government campaign which aims to educate and support young people to make sensible decisions about alcohol, especially during the school holidays, Chris Sorek, Chief Executive of Drinkaware, says: “For young people, boredom and drinking alcohol often goes hand in hand – nearly one in 10 young people aged 16 and 17 (8 per cent) drink at least once a week just because they are bored*. (Source: Medical News Today, 2/21/10)

While the big game itself is old news, the commercials are not: the impact of Super Bowl advertising is in full swing. And according to the more than 30,000 middle and high school students nationwide, who participated in the DrugFree Action Alliance Super Bowl Survey; while alcohol ads were widely remembered, they did not place in the top three favorites among youth, as in past surveys. (Source: Join Together, 2/12/10)

A sweet, caffeinated, high-alcohol wine has become a symbol of the growing drinking problems in Scottish society, the New York Times reported Feb. 4. Buckfast Tonic Wine goes by a number of popular names that reflect its reputation, including “Wreck the Hoose (House) Juice,” and Scotland’s former industrial heartland is sometimes referred to as the “Buckfast Belt.” One study found that 43 percent of youth offenders drank Buckfast before committing their crimes, and in one district alone the wine was mentioned in more than 5,600 crime reports over a three-year period. Buckfast is not a new product, but contains a potent mix of 15 percent alcohol and as much caffeine per bottle as eight cans of Coca-Cola. It’s particularly popular among groups of young male hooligans, Scots say. (Source: Join Together, 2/12/10)