Press Release

"We Don't Serve Teens" Campaign Urges Parents to Speak Up and Discourage Underage Drinking

Charlotte, N.C. —  In advance of the winter holiday season, John
Chanon, Chairman of the Mecklenburg County Alcoholic Beverage Control
Board; and Mary Ward, Mecklenburg County Alcoholic Beverage Control
Board; joined Erik Strickland of The Century Council, a national
not-for-profit organization funded by the nation’s leading distillers,
to launch a public awareness campaign to prevent underage drinking. The
new initiative developed by The Federal Trade Commission and The
Century Council called "We Don’t Serve Teens," is designed to inform
adults that providing underage youth with alcohol is unsafe, illegal,
and irresponsible. The launch took place at ABC Store #5 on Wilkinson
Boulevard.

"We are unveiling our 'We Don’t Serve Teens' campaign today to help
prevent underage purchases and consumption of alcohol not only during
the holiday season, but also throughout the year. The Century Council
has found that nearly one in five (17%) adults believe it is acceptable
for parents to provide alcohol to their teenagers in their own home. It
is our hope this campaign will encourage parents to start and continue
a dialogue with their teen about the dangers of underage drinking.
Turning a blind eye is as irresponsible as putting a drink in their
hands," said Erik Strickland of The Century Council.

To determine parents' perspective on the issue of underage drinking, in
particular the legal consequences, The Century Council commissioned a
survey of 1,000 adults. The results show that overwhelmingly, parents
do not believe it is acceptable for other adults to provide beverage
alcohol to underage youth. Ninety-six percent of adults said it is
unacceptable for another parent or other adult to provide alcohol to
their teenager without their permission. Further, all survey
respondents said if they learned another parent or adult provided
alcohol to their teenager without their permission, they would consider
taking recourse against the other parent, or their child.

The top actions adults would take include:

• Speaking with my child about the dangers and consequences of underage drinking (93%)
• Call that adult and express my objections, feelings and opinions (86%)
• Restrict my child's time at that family's house (80%)
• Limit my child's relationship with that family (76%)
• Notify other parents (74%)
• Punish my own child (69%)

Other actions adults report they would take if such an incident
occurred include calling the police (44%), reporting the incident to
the school (40%), and taking legal action, such as file charges, sue
them, etc. (34%).

"In the most recent Youth Drug Survey completed in the
Charlotte-Mecklenburg School System, more than 14% of youth ages 12-18
reported alcohol consumption in the last month. Of those who drank,
47.7% reported binge drinking (more than 4 drinks per setting for
girls; 5 for boys) and among high school students who reported
consumption in the last month — 55.5% reported binge drinking," said
Chanon. "Protecting the safety, particularly the safety of our city's
most precious resource — our young people — is a top priority for
Mecklenburg County Alcoholic Beverage Control Board. Restaurants,
wholesalers, retailers — all of us — need to play a role in the fight
against underage drinking, to lower, and hopefully eliminate, underage
drinking in Charlotte."

"Underage drinking is illegal in the state of North Carolina, and we
are working hard to ensure that teens do not have access to alcohol.
But we can’t do it alone," said Ward. "We encourage parents to be good
role models, let your teen know you disapprove of underage drinking,
and supervise their activities. Parents, retail establishments,
community groups — we all have a role to play in the fight against
underage drinking."

Working with the Federal Trade Commission and other national
organizations including The National Alcohol Beverage Control
Association (NABCA), The American Beverage Licensees (ABL), and The
Charmer Sunbelt Group, The Century Council will distribute point of
purchase materials to retailers and community organizations across the
nation as a reminder to parents and other adults that providing alcohol
to teens can mean serious consequences and to encourage them to speak
up about underage drinking. Elements of the campaign include television
and radio public service announcement, print ad, lapel pins, cold case
stickers, register signs, and ceiling danglers.

The Century Council has chosen North Carolina as the first state to
launch the "We Don’t Serve Teens" campaign and will distribute public
service announcements to television stations that serve Asheville,
Greensboro and Charlotte. The campaign will continue to be rolled out
in cities across the country through 2007. For more information on the
campaign or to order materials visit www.dontserveteens.gov or www.centurycouncil.org.