Alcohol Awareness

The U.S. brewing industry has a long-standing commitment to helping to reduce all forms of alcohol abuse, including illegal underage drinking, excessive college drinking, and drunk driving.

Brewers, importers, and distributors have been leaders in sponsoring research, offering server training, and providing public information about alcohol abuse and how to help prevent it. We are concerned about problems caused by excessive consumption of alcohol and underage drinking and strive to educate the public about responsible consumption. Below are just a few examples of how members of the brewing industry engage in these important issues.

• Underage drinking: The brewing industry offers materials for parents to help them talk to their children about underage drinking and making the right decision to refrain from drinking alcohol until they are 21, public service announcements, and programs to help retail employees identify fake IDs.
• College drinking: The industry works with colleges and communities to develop programs that encourage responsible and legal alcohol consumption.
• Drunk driving: The industry sponsors server training, designated driver and taxi programs, and public service announcements.

Beer Institute and NBWA members are involved in a range of consumer awareness activities designed to help fight drunk driving and illegal underage drinking and to promote responsible consumption of beer by adults. They are proud to partner with parents, state and federal regulators, law enforcement agencies, public safety organizations, educators, legislators and other community groups to fine solutions to illegal underage drinking, drunk driving and other forms of alcohol abuse.

While much remains to be done, government and independent studies indicate that progress is being made in the fight against alcohol abuse. Virtually every indicator of alcohol abuse has shown recent progress:

• The number of fatalities in teenage drunk-driving crashes has declined 38 percent since 2000 and is down 74 percent since tracking began in 1982, going from 4,214 in 1982 to 1,720 in 2000 and 1,077 in 2009, a record-low level. There were more than 3,000 fewer teen drunk-driving fatalities in 2009 than in 1982.
• According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 85 percent of adolescents (ages 12-17) do not drink, and adolescent drinking has declined 16 percent since 2002.
• According to the American Freshman Survey, the percentage of college freshmen who reported drinking beer is 20 percent lower than in 2000 and down 48 percent since its peak in 1982.
• According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the number of fatalities in drunk-driving crashes has declined 49 percent since 1982, going from 21,113 in 1982 to 10,839 in 2009, a record-low level. There were 10,000 fewer drunk-driving fatalities in 2009 than in 1982.