The Century Council Recognizes Alcohol Awareness Month

Invites Americans to "Join The Conversation" to fight drunk driving and underage drinking

ARLINGTON, Va., April 1, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- April is Alcohol Awareness Month and The Century Council, a national not-for-profit funded by distillers dedicated to fighting drunk driving and underage drinking, will use this month to encourage conversations regarding alcohol among parents and their kids, college students and administrators, responsible adults, law enforcement and elected officials, and all Americans. For more than 21 years, The Century Council has worked to fight drunk driving and underage drinking and has promoted responsible decision making about alcohol. Throughout April The Century Council will highlight some of its most successful and innovative initiatives.

Reaching kids ages 9 through 13 and their parents and caregivers, The Century Council's Ask, Listen, Learn program provides guidance on how to encourage kids to "say 'yes' to a healthy lifestyle and 'no' to underage drinking." Based on recent research conducted by Ipsos and commissioned by The Century Council, parents overwhelmingly believe it is important to discuss the dangers and consequences of underage drinking early with their children.  Eight out of ten parents (82%) think it is "extremely important" to have early conversations about alcohol as a way to combat peer pressure and delay potential experimenting with alcohol.  Dr. Anthony Wolf, clinical psychologist and best-selling author, appears in an online video and provides tips for parents on how to start this important conversation about alcohol. 

Ask Listen Learn SuperStar Aly Raisman, the most decorated 2012 US gymnast at the Olympic Games with two Gold Medals and current contestant on ABC's "Dancing with the Stars," appears online in resources available for parents at www.asklistenlearn.com, as well as in Scholastic materials that have been distributed to 30,000 teachers and classrooms across the country to be used as part of Alcohol Awareness Month lesson plans.

Girl Talk, a peer-to-peer mentoring program for high school leaders and middle school girls, will share The Century Council's Choices and Consequences of Underage Drinking lesson with hundreds of chapters across the country, continuing seven years of working together to promote leadership and good decision making. 

Reaching college students and college administrators, particularly at Historically Black Colleges and Universities, The Century Council continues its partnership with basketball legend Shaquille O'Neal, by releasing a public service announcement (PSA) featuring "Godfrey the Comedian."  The PSA reminds college students, by using the technique "serious humor," that college binge drinking is dangerous and can leave a lasting impact, ending with the empowering message that resonates with this age group: "Watch Yourself."

For adults of the legal drinking age, The Century Council has re-released B4UDrink, an interactive online program that educates individuals about how alcohol consumption affects their individual Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC).  Using the most up-to-date science, the 'Virtual Bar' program allows users to estimate their BAC level based on gender, height, weight, age and the type and number of drinks consumed as well as the time until BAC returns to zero.  The Century Council encourages adults over 21 to visit www.b4udrink.org to learn more. 

"We invite all Americans to join us by starting a conversation about alcohol this month," said Ralph Blackman, President and CEO of The Century Council. "We offer age-appropriate programs and resources for middle school aged kids and their parents, high school teens college students, and adults. We all have a role to play during Alcohol Awareness Month and we can all have an impact, especially parents."

ABOUT THE CENTURY COUNCIL
The Century Council is a national not-for-profit leader in the fight to eliminate drunk driving and underage drinking and is funded by the following distillers: Bacardi U.S.A., Inc.; Beam, Inc.; Brown-Forman; Constellation Brands, Inc.; DIAGEO; Hood River Distillers, Inc.; and Pernod Ricard USA. Headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, The Century Council promotes responsible decision making regarding beverage alcohol and develops and implements innovative programs and public awareness campaigns which ignite action through strategic partnerships. Established in 1991, The Century Council's initiatives are highlighted on its website at www.centurycouncil.org.

Contact: Darron Moffatt
[email protected]
(202) 637-0077

SOURCE The Century Council