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Memphis, TN. - Shelby County Mayor A C Wharton, Jr. and Shelby County Sheriff Mark Luttrell will join members of the area beverage alcohol industry tomorrow, Friday, September 21 at 8:00 AM at Buster's on Highland, to launch "We Don't Serve Teens," a public information campaign aimed at curbing underage drinking. The Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of Tennessee (WSWT) is holding the event in partnership with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Century Council to raise awareness about the dangers of teenage alcohol abuse.
John Barzizza, Memphis market director for WSWT and president of the Southwestern Distributing Company, will kick-off the West Tennessee campaign at 8 a.m. Friday at Buster's Liquors and Wines on S. Highland Avenue, along with store owner Josh Hammond. With Mayor Wharton and Sheriff Luttrell, the industry leaders will post the first "We Don't Serve Teens" materials at Buster's, informing the public that residents who are underage will not be sold alcohol.
"The beverage alcohol industry is on the front lines of the fight to keep alcohol out of the hands of teenagers," said Barzizza. "We want the message to go out loud and clear - "We Don't Serve Teens." We don't serve teens in our retail establishments; we don't serve them in our restaurants. Too many young people have lost their lives as a result of abusing alcohol and we as an industry are determined to help put a stop to it."
Friday's launch in Memphis will coincide with several events that WSWT is holding across the state, including the statewide launch by Tennessee Attorney General Robert Cooper in Nashville. Following the launch, members of WSWT will begin distributing materials free of charge - including posters, point of purchase signs, decals and lapel pins - to all the retail outlets and restaurants they serve to emphasize the importance of preventing teen access to alcohol.
The pervasiveness of alcohol abuse among America's underage population is growing and its impact is alarming. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism of the National Institutes of Health, 25 percent of 12th-graders, 22 percent of 10th-graders and 11 percent of eighth-graders have consumed alcohol. In addition, the age of first use is declining with recent studies finding that more than one-fourth of 14-year-olds have consumed alcohol in the last year.
Alcohol is the main cause of death for people under age 21. The most recent figures from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration show that alcohol plays a role in more than 30 percent of all Tennessee teen traffic fatalities. Alcohol abuse among youth also can lead to academic failure, risky sexual behavior, and an increased risk of developing an alcohol problem in the future.
To confront the problem, the FTC founded "We Don't Serve Teens" in partnership with government, advocacy and industry organizations. Other major contributors include the Century Council, Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD), the U.S. Department of the Treasury, and the National Consumers League.
Last week, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed a resolution introduced by the Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of America officially recognizing National "We Don't Serve Teens" Week. "The 'We Don't Serve Teens' campaign recognizes that all three tiers of the beverage alcohol industry play a key role in the prevention of underage drinking and unites all of those participants in a concerted effort to protect America's youth," the resolution states.
About "We Don't Serve Teens"
The "We Don't Serve Teens" campaign involves a coalition of public and private sector organizations including The Century Council, the Federal Trade Commission, Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of America, Inc., the U.S. Department of Treasury Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, the National Alcohol Beverage Control Association, Students Against Destructive Decisions, the National Liquor Law Enforcement Association, the Responsible Retailing Forum, the National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors, Inc., the National Consumers League, and the American Beverage Licensees. For more information on the campaign or to order materials visit www.dontserveteens.gov.
About Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of Tennessee (WSWT)
The Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of Tennessee, a registered 501 (c) (6) organization, is a statewide trade association comprised of 19 family-owned local businesses in Tennessee that play a central role in wine and spirits distribution. The mission of WSWT is to maintain the appropriate legal and regulatory environment for the distribution of beverage alcohol in the state of Tennessee so as to ensure the safe and responsible use of its products. Please visit www.wswt.org for more information.
About the Century Council
Launched in 1991, The Century Council's mission is to promote responsible decision-making regarding beverage alcohol and discourage all forms of irresponsible consumption through education, communications, research, law enforcement and other programs. For more information, please visit www.centurycouncil.org.
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