9/12 Must Read NAS Underage Drinking report review, we totally were moving in right direction in asking for an increase in our 50 year old alcohol excise tax when last attempted in in 2002.

One Candidate for Governor supports alcohol excise tax increase, Buddy Leach (D) has come out calling for increase in the alcohol excise tax to fund healthcare. In an Advocate report last week candidate for Governor Buddy Leach, identified that the "beer tax" would be increased as a means to raise monies for healthcare, and other budget gaps,  if elected.  This makes logical sense considering that the lack of alcohol excise tax increase  in Louisiana, has translated into huge costs for our state with almost 50 years passing since our last increase in the state.  The socioeconomic impact of alcohol consumption and our lax alcohol policy in Louisiana has totaled out to more than $813million dollars in direct taxpayer costs in 2002 according to LSU's Helath Sciences, Researcher,  Dr. Richard Scribner. More support for Leach's proposal came last week, in a new federal study released by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) on the underage drinking problems that Louisiana and other states are battling, identifying an increase in the alcohol excise tax as an effective avenue in state's efforts to reduce underage illegal consumption of alcohol.  HopeNetworks will release a survey of all candidates and their positions on tobacco and alcohol products, treatment, and prevention services as established in the HLC survey distributed by partners concerned about the health in our communities within the state.

9/1/03  Where do they stand?
Hopenetworks, LA Alliance to prevent underage drinking, and the Coalition for Tobacco Free Louisiana, unite to survey all qualified candidates in the Louisiana fall elections in 2003.  The Healthy Louisiana Communities Survey went out to more than 300 candidates August 22, 2003.  Gubernatorial candidates, Louisiana Senate and House candidates, all questioned on their position related to addiction, prevention, treatment, excise taxes, and marketing practices policies.  Results to be released the first week of October in a press conference announcing the results and report on policy positions.

Open Container Bill----read this but make sure you see how entrenched as this article mentions the alcohol lobby really is.  www.georgebrown.net

5/23/2003 www.WWLTV.com

A bill banning open alcohol containers in cars stalled Thursday in Baton Rouge and proponents of the legislation say the delay could cost the state millions. The current Louisiana law makes it illegal for drivers, but not passengers, to have open containers of alcohol. If lawmakers do not pass an open container law, it would cost the state millions of federal highway dollars.

Earlier this session, the bill passed the State Senate unanimously. However the state’s liquor lobby conceded that it pushed representatives in the House to have the bill sent back to the Criminal Justice Committee for review.

Kathy du Treil, an advocate for tougher alcohol laws, said this delay effectively kills the bill.

“They are just gonna say they ran out of time, which happens every year," said du Treil. "If we don't get it accomplished in an election year, God knows when it will happen because that will just say that the liquor lobby is deeply entrenched."

Lawmakers have adjourned this session until Tuesday of next week due to Memorial Day weekend.

The session officially ends next Wednesday.

Alcohol Industry mitigates our safety and health
It is amazing to me (and I don't know why) that the Alcohol Industry literally can "pay" for what they want---even when voters have spoken.  HB 825 was killed in the House Judiciary Committee in the early evening of 5/21/03. 

Money Vs. Concern

As a mother with children growing up in Louisiana, it concerns me that the number one risk my kids face is an alcohol related death.  Tack on their genetics and family history ( I am sober almost 12 years)  and this place becomes toxic.  The heavy marketing, lax policy, cultural norms, and the numb to alcohol society we live in is a breeding ground for more of the same.

So what do we do?
Groups like MADD, the Louisiana Alliance to prevent underage drinking, LA SADD, all groups that work with HopeNetworks, have for years been showing up and "begging" the legislature to put the safety and health of Louisiana above all else.  This state is known to be a "Party" state.  That is indeed a great reflection of our culture, but lives need to come before political pay-offs, especially when we the "people" support such legislation. 

Vote
Key to change in Louisiana, is to remember those who stood up for our communities, and those who did not.  The wonderful thing about being a voter, is we can put folks in, and we can take them out!!!  Responsible policy makers, have done research and understand our state can't afford to support unhealthy industry prosper off the lives in our communities.


La. kids see plenty of beer commercials Study finds kids see more TV commercials for beer than for sneakers, gum or jeans
Associated Press According to a study released today young Americans see more television commercials
for beer than for sneakers, gum or jeans. Young people ages 12 to 20 saw two beer or ale ads in 2001 for every three such commercials aired on programs viewed primarily by adults. The study says Louisiana has three of the top 92 markets ranked by the number of alcohol ads on television:

The study said underage viewers were more likely than adults of legal drinking age to have been exposed to a quarter of the nearly 209,000 commercials aired. The Beer Institute said the industry doesn't target underage consumers. The study was conducted by the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth at Georgetown University. On the Net: Center on Alcohol Monitoring and Youth

Drunk Court  VS. Drug Court?
Alcohol is the most abused drug in our country, should DWI's in Louisiana be categorized as any drug related criminal offense in our drug courts?  This article shows interesting promise for drug courts handling DWI's in Missouri, a state that recognizes Alcohol Dependence and Abuse, for what it is, a Public Health issue, with great social impact.   There  must be accountability, and consequence, for criminal acts, and drug courts have the ability to do so.  Alcohol is the most abused drug in the U.S. and according to the NCADD,

It has been estimated that 30% to 75% of DWI offenders have serious alcohol problems.¹ Because so many of the hardcore drunk drivers are alcohol dependent, treatment and rehabilitation programs should be an essential part of any strategy to combat the problem. Estimates of treatment referral rates in most states range from well over 60% for first-time offenders to over 90% for multiple offenders.³⁷

Fatal coolness  Another Child dies Alcohol Poisoning 15yr old boy from Covington Louisiana, becomes one of Louisiana's most recent youth Alcohol fatality.   This young man was doing what teenagers across this state do.  Parents, Educators, Adults, all want to believe it can't or won't happen to their child.  The fact is as we have stated in HopeNetWorks,  over and over, is that  nothing kills more of our children than Alcohol.  An illegal drug for minors.  This child's family, friends, are not alone, and unless something changes, they won't be the last family to experience such a tragic loss, my heart goes out to this family, and we will continue to do all we can to educate and raise awareness, push for real policy that really works.

Lax Culture, and Passive Policy continues to prove fatal for Louisiana's youth.

A plague our youth in this state are facing everyday.  Will this young man become one more number in a chart that we use to plead and beg our policy makers for help with?  I pray not.  We took action collectively for the first last spring, and it is with great hope that we remember this young man, and the countless others,  who are looking to find the magic in a bottle.    Sending messages to our youth through billboards, Sports events, radio, television, and the like, well it works, and this being said it has become part of our culture here in Louisiana.  Now we must take back our communities, and make it "cool" to choose otherwise.

Education and Awareness, enforcement, and a general sway in our cultures perception of underage drinking must occur.  Binge drinking is enough in of itself to merit change.  But that is the tip of the ice burg.  Our lax culture, and passive policy, does not treat Alcohol like the drug it is.  For minor's like this young man who died in Covington, it is an illegal drug.   There are countless others (1 in 4) facing a predisposition for addictive disorders.  Do we have resources to provide environmental diversions for these youth?  Do we have funds to handle the cleanup if we don't?

 Why is there a lack of treatment services for juveniles?  Are their enough prevention dollars in place in Louisiana?  Could the lack of resources be due to our state's enormous fiscal expense in cleaning up the consequences of alcohol and drugs?  The norms and cycles in place have taken generations to reach this crisis point, spanning decades.  We have also not increased our alcohol taxes (See Alaska's success in 2002) since 1948 (Beer), while costs related to Alcohol use, and abuse have skyrocketed.  Just the treatment services needed alone are alarming.  The Alcohol lobby takes great pride in the work they have done in their position in lobbying efforts.  As that is their job.  It is our job to speak louder, and voice our need and demand for adequate services in this state, and responsible policy supporting healthy communities.

Spiritually driven Federal Actions?  President Bush wants to see restoration of community, acknowledgement of the role Faith groups play in charity work.  Behind the president's push to expand the role of churches in addressing poverty, hunger, homelessness and drug abuse is his belief that they can be more effective than other groups in helping the needy. Hoping to involve churches and religious organizations more deeply in government efforts to address social ills, Bush signed executive orders aimed at giving those groups a leg up in the competition for federal money

For those of you not in class for the last 40 years lets try saying this again, Alcohol is directly related to enormous Public Health Problems and therefore costs.   "This research tells us there is a definite link between alcohol and breast cancer and the evidence suggests that the more a woman drinks the greater her risk," Alcohol Breast Cancer  

^12/20/02Drunk Driver kills baby, injures pregnant mother on sidewalk.  Unreal.  A baby girl who would have celebrated her first birthday Dec. 28 was killed Thursday when she and her mother were hit by a car on their way home from a school Christmas program, city police said.    

Big Healthcare Problems, "Big Solutions" proposed by Louisiana's Senator Breaux  "In short, the health care system we depend on is plagued with inequities and collapsing around us," he said. "Not since the early 1990s have such dire circumstances challenged us to consider bold new ideals to overhaul our nation's health care system."  With Louisiana rankings in poverty and poor healthcare (3rd year ranked poorest healthcare in nation) this is a real win for Louisiana.  Those who are considered the "working poor" stand to benefit most.  A sliding scale and insurance "pools" like some states use for car insurance are features included in this plan.  It would not effect employers, but mandate that all citizens by law acquire healthcare coverage.  Those who can't afford it, would find relief with vouchers.  Considering the crippled system in place now, any improvements would be welcomed.  Healthier communities, healthier workforces, spawn economic growth, and we don't have details yet, but lets hope mental health, and substance abuse treatment services are inclusive in this plan!  Stay tuned, we will update you as more information becomes available, read the full article here.

Louisiana and Gambling Addiction, There is Hope!
Region 6 (Alexandria & Pineville area of the state) is the topic of this article, Michael Duffy, assistant secretary of the Office of Addictive Disorders in Baton Rouge, says" Compulsive gambling is a widespread problem and an issue that needs to be increasingly addressed.", he goes on to praise the commitment and passion so many find in central Louisiana, at the Red River Treatment center.  Well deserved!  Red River has long been a favorite of many in the recovering community.  It is amazing what the professionals who treat addiction in this state are doing when you consider the overwhelming need vs. the very limited budget allocated for treatment and prevention.  I believe we have some of the most committed hard working, caring professionals in the nation here, they surely are not in this industry for the profits!  Mr. Duffy also reviews the State OAD agenda:  Duffy said the state wants to address some areas of importance in hopes of making the process more effective, despite recent budget cuts by:
-- Having a seamless system of care.
-- Have all state offices to be evidence-based, outcome-driven and cost-effective.
-- Compile a data base showing specific numbers on those facing addictive disorders
-- Screening addicts.
-- Closing the gap on those who do and don't receive treatment and work more on prevention.
-- Offer more workshops for workers dealing with addicts.
All of these are positive improvements for our state, and we hope to assist OAD by continuing to build support through HopeNet, for the availability of treatment and prevention services in this state
Read the Article in full

Local Government on the "West Bank" considering Alcohol Curfew& 1/4cent Tax to come too.  It seems some people are getting real frustrated working at the state level to improve their communities, local advocates have begun a campaign to take action directly in their parish.  Concerned about access with no limits, and the impact on Louisiana highways has this prompted this in St. John the Baptist Parish.  Please note, the council will be meeting at 6:30 Tuesday 1/28/03 in  LaPlace and would like to hear your opinion  The St. John the Baptist Parish Council will discuss a controversial ordinance tonight that would restrict the hours businesses can sell alcohol -- even though its chief sponsor on the council now says he doesn't know if he'll push its acceptance. In November, Councilman Dale Wolfe proposed an ordinance that would ban bars, restaurants, convenience stores and other parish businesses from selling alcohol from 2 to 6 a.m. Bars and saloons whose main business is alcohol would have to close at 2 a.m. read the whole story