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| It might not seem like it, but kids listen to their parents. Discuss the long-term consequences of drinking in a way that they will hear it and make them think twice before making an irreversible mistake. |
| links to web sites about talking to children: |
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| Television is a powerful influence on children, and misleading images of alcohol consumption as normal and glamorous fail to mention the consequences. Networks and cable stations knowingly allow alcohol ads to air to underage viewers, and we encourage you to email the following executives to demand they agree to the following AMA pledge: |
| PLEDGE ITEMS: |
- No alcohol ads on programs before 10 pm
- No alcohol ads on programs with 15% or more underage viewers
- No alcohol ads depicting mascots, cartoons or other characters targeted to younger viewers.
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DIRECT EMAIL LINKS TELEVISION: |
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| NBC |
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| CBS |
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| FOX |
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| ABC |
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| WB |
faces@talk.thewb.com |
| Showtime |
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Discovery |
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HBO & Cinemax |
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MTV |
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CNN |
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TNT/TBS |
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ESPN |
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USA Network |
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VH1 |
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FX |
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E! |
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EMAIL LINKS TO ORGANIZATIONS ON ALCOHOL ADVERTISING STANDARDS ON TV: |
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| standards@talk.thewb.com |
| fccingo@fcc.gov |
| diageofoundation@diageo.com |
| communications@centurycouncil.org |
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| Recent studies prove how harmful a child's exposure to alcohol advertising can be. Urge your legislators to call on the Federal Trade Commission and Congress to hold hearings on the issue and develop mandatory standards to prevent the targeting of young people. |
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| Physicians can detect alcohol problems through physical exams and medical histories as well as indicators such as depression. Ask your physician about their ability to screen for alcohol abuse and request that their screening and intervention skills are updated. |
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| Economic studies indicate that price increases reduce alcohol consumption among young people. And alcohol tax revenues could be used to support programs regarding prevention, treatment, law enforcement and research. Urge your state legislature to increase alcohol excise taxes. |
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| Too many adults fail to take underage drinking seriously. Law enforcement must enforce existing regulations and laws, and the judicial system must strictly apply existing laws and penalties. Urge your local and state law enforcement officials to enforce underage drinking laws and communicate to violators that there are lasting legal and consequences as well as physical. |
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| Comprehensive school programs addressing preventable, unhealthy behaviors should exist in every school district and be taught by health educators, substance abuse prevention professionals and trained school nurses. They should begin in kindergarten, and teachers should receive training to detect alcohol abuse. Ask your school board to implement these programs. |
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| Alcohol should be labeled to warn people of the dangers and negative health effects of alcohol. Just as Congress mandated warning labels for tobacco products and advertising, it should require prominent warning labels in highly visible locations on alcoholic beverages and advertising. Urge your members of Congress to mandate such labeling. |
| http://www.congress.org/congressorg/dbq/officials/?lvl=L |
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| Public information campaigns should be resumed that highlight the problems of underage drinking, its serious effects on children and prevention strategies. Call on national and voluntary organizations, such as the Ad Council and the Partnership for a Drug-Free America, to conduct public health campaigns on alcohol. |
| http://www.adcouncil.org |
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| More research must be conducted on the harmful effects of alcohol on adolescents and on state-of-the-art prevention approaches and environmental policy changes. Click here to learn more and urge Congress to fund more research on the effects of alcohol on youth. |
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