alcohol ad teens

States Failing to Reduce Youth Exposure to Alcohol Marketing

A new study finds that states are failing to do much if anything to keep young people from being exposed to advertisements promoting alcoholic beverages. The report, issued by the Center on Marketing and Youth (CAMY) at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health notes eight methods, referred to as best practices, for states to limit and reduce youth exposure to such advertisements. And according to the new research findings, only 11 states implement more than one “best practice” policy – with 22 implementing none at all. In State Laws to Reduce the Impact of Alcohol Marketing on Youth: Current Status and Model Policies, CAMY researchers conclude that most states are doing inadequate jobs of keeping children from being exposed to alcohol ads in both traditional and untraditional media formats. The report found the legislative and regulatory steps taken by most states to be both “disappointing” and “inactive.”

The report assessed states on their utilization of best practices established by CAMY guidelines, including measures which prohibit alcohol advertising targeting minors, restrict outdoor alcohol ads in places children may frequent and establish jurisdictions over in-state television and radio advertising.

Ex-Judge to do Community Service

A Marietta Magistrate Judge accused of allowing teenagers to drink at her home has accepted a deal that will spare her from serving jail time.  According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Diane Busch has tentatively agreed to do community service and have an alcohol assessment. Busch resigned from her post as a part time judge in Marietta and Woodstock, after a Christmas party last December. A noise complaint led police to her house at 3 AM, where they found her asleep, while teenagers were drinking elsewhere in the house.