Apr 2, 2019

April is Alcohol Awareness Month and ABC Encourages Californians to Promote Safety

April is Alcohol Awareness Month and a time to stop and think about the impact that alcohol has on daily life in California. The California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) is the principal regulator of the sale, manufacture and distribution of alcohol in California. During the month of April ABC will emphasize prevention, education and enforcement of alcoholic beverage laws recognizing there are major health and public safety concerns surrounding alcohol, especially when it is misused.

According to the United States Centers for Disease Control (CDC) alcohol is the most commonly used and abused drug among youth in the United States. The CDC has released these important facts:

  • Excessive drinking is responsible for more than 4,300 deaths among underage youth each year, and cost the U.S. $24 billion in 2010.
  • In 2013, there were approximately 119,000 emergency rooms visits by persons aged 12 to 21 for injuries and other conditions linked to alcohol.
  • In 2017, the Monitoring the Future Survey reported that 33% of 12th graders drank during the past 30 days, and 2% of 8th graders and 19% of 12th graders binge drank during the past 30 days.

Studies have shown that youth who drink alcohol are more likely to experience school problems, such as higher absence and poor or failing grades, social problems, unwanted, unplanned, and unprotected sexual activity, physical and sexual assault, changes in brain development that may have life-long effects, and even death from DUI crashes or alcohol poisonings.

One ABC program that helps prevent alcohol-related harm in communities is the Licensee Education on Alcohol and Drugs (LEAD). It helps communities and assists businesses by promoting safety for all citizens, including youth. LEAD presents a great opportunity for California’s 92,000 plus ABC licensed businesses to get tools that can help them run a safe operation where youth are protected and service of
alcohol to obviously intoxicated patrons is prevented. It isn’t just businesses that have a major role; everyone can help prevent underage drinking by talking to our children, families and friends. We can also help reduce service to intoxicated patrons by being aware of our surroundings and looking out for people we might know who have a problem with binge drinking. Binge drinking has serious risks including
unintentional injuries, car crashes, falls, burns and alcohol poisonings.

This month ABC encourages all to be proactive and help prevent the abuse of alcohol at home and in the community and promote safety.

ABC protects communities through education and by administering prevention and enforcement programs designed to increase compliance with California’s alcoholic beverage laws. ABC encourages licensees to  sign up for ABC’s Licensee Education on Alcohol and Drugs (LEAD) training free of charge. Licensees and their employees can now take the training online. They can also sign up for training in person in a classroom setting. Visit the LEAD Registration page on ABC’s website for details.

Visit the Enforcement page on ABC’s website to learn more about ABC enforcement and prevention programs that can help increase public safety.

ABC is a Department of the Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency.

Contact

Additional information may be obtained by contacting:

Public Information Office
3927 Lennane Drive, Suite 100
Sacramento, CA 95834
Email: pio@abc.ca.gov
Phone: (916) 419-2525

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