4th of July Message: Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving

Drunk Driving Is a Deadly Problem This Fourth of July

GOAL/POSITIONING: The goal is to warn people of the dangers and consequences of driving while impaired. In 2009, someone in the United States died in an impaired-driving crash every 48 minutes, according to research by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
That is why the Putnam County Communities That Care Coalition, along with other highway safety, community, health and law enforcement officials, are reminding everyone this Fourth of July that Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving and to designate a sober driver before the celebrations begin.

KEY MESSAGES:
During the July 4th holiday, alcohol is a major factor in fatal crashes
Motor vehicle traffic crashes killed 410 people during the Fourth of July holiday period in 2009. Of that number, 40 percent involved a driver with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 grams per deciliter or higher.

Alcohol-impaired-driving crashes killed 10,839 people in 2009, accounting for 32 percent of all traffic-related deaths in the United States. That’s an average of one alcohol-impaired-driving fatality every 48 minutes.
Beware: the rate of alcohol impairment among drivers involved in fatal crashes in 2009 was four times higher at night than during the day.

Whether way too many or just one too many, it’s not worth the risk. Impaired Driving creates serious consequences.
 

Alcohol impairs many of the skills that safe driving requires, including judgment, concentration, comprehension, coordination, visual acuity and reaction time.

Driving with a BAC of .08 or higher is illegal in every state. Yet many people still ignore the law. According to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Report, more than 1.44 million people were arrested for driving under the influence during 2009.

The tragedies and costs from drinking and driving impaired do not just end at the potential death, disfigurement, disability and injury caused by impaired drivers.

Driving impaired or riding with someone who is impaired is not worth the risk. The consequences are serious and real. Not only do you risk killing yourself or someone else, but the trauma and financial costs of a crash or an arrest for driving while impaired can be really significant and not the way you want to celebrate the July 4th holiday.

People that break the law often face jail time, the loss of their driver’s license, higher insurance rates, and dozens of other unanticipated expenses from attorney fees, other fines and court costs, car towing and repairs, lost time at work, etc.

This summer don’t let your 4th of July end in an arrest—or even worse, death. Make smart decisions. Plan ahead so you can ensure a safe way home.

Remember: Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving. Don’t drink and drive.
 

Members of the Putnam CTC Coalition are available if you have any questions or would like for us to do a presentation to your organization on this or any other substance abuse trends that affect our children. Please call the National Council on Alcoholism & Drug Dependencies of Putnam at 845-225-4646, Ext. 13 for information and referrals. Please visit and join us on Facebook by searching ―Putnam County Communities That Care – NY or by searching Twitter at ―PutnamCTCNY.

For more information, visit www.StopImpairedDriving.org.
 

Sheriff Smith and the Putnam CTC host Merchant Education Seminar

-Carmel, NY

Putnam County vendors and businesses with active liquor licenses are encouraged to attend the Merchant Education Seminar on Monday, July 11, 2011. The seminar, a collaborative effort between the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department and the Putnam County Communities That Care Coalition, will focus on current rules and regulations within the State of New York pertaining to the sale of alcoholic beverages and include any recent mandates or updates. This session will also provide a great opportunity for business owners to ask questions and express any concerns they may have with the administration of the liquor authority program.
The seminar will also feature scheduled speakers Sheriff Donald D. Smith, District Attorney Adam Levy, and a representative from the State Liquor Authority.

The goal of the program is to limit youth access to alcohol, review existing laws in place, and provide an important education and awareness opportunity to keep both businesses and the community safe.
The free seminar will be held on Monday, July 11, 2011 from 10:00 a.m. – approximately 12:30 p.m. at the Putnam County Bureau of Emergency Services Training and Operations Services Building, Donald B. Smith Campus, 112 Old Route Six, Carmel, NY 10512.

The Putnam County Communities that Care Coalition is an anti-drug coalition that works to build a safe and
healthy family oriented community, which includes reducing the use of harmful substances by our adolescents. It is composed of individuals from all sectors of the community who work together to reduce risk factors and
strengthen protective factors through education, enforcement, and policy initiatives.

Attendees must RSVP by July 1, 2011 by contacting Coalition Coordinator Elaine Santos at 845-225-4646 or emailing putnamdfcgrantee@gmail.com.

Summer Alert: The 411 on "Alcopops"

Flavored Malt Beverages (FMB‟s) also known as Alcopops are highly sweetened drinks that contain the same amount of alcohol as a beer. The drinks can also contain caffeine which helps to mask the taste of the alcohol. Marketers use fun or dramatic names, messages and colorful graphics that attract young people. Examples of Alcopops are Jack Daniels Lynchberg Lemonade, Mikes Hard Cranberry Lemonade, Skyy Blue, Zima Citrus, Smirnoff Ice, Four Loko, Doc Otis Hard Lemonade, Sparks, etc. 

According to the Marin Institute, Alcopops are „beer‟ which makes them much easier to buy than hard alcohol. In a number of states, that means they‟re available wherever beer is available, such as convenience stores gas stations and mini-marts.” 

Due to their design, many alcopops look similar to both their caffeinated, non caffeinated and non-alcoholic counterparts, causing confusion for both the merchant and consumer. 

Due to the diverse fruit flavors and high sugar content, females are more attracted to Alcopops than males (Marin Institute) As a result, marketers tend to aggressively target this female population. According to a June 2011 report from the New York State Standing Committee on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, chaired by Senator Jeffrey D. Klein (D- Bronx/Westchester), “The first alcopops contained 5 to 6% alcohol and often came in 12 oz bottles or cans (they are now going up to 12%).  Their fruit flavors and sweetness earned them the nickname “cheerleader beer” or “chick beer.” This 

second generation of products now contains up to 12% alcohol and come in 16 to 24 oz cans and 7 to 12 oz bottles.  Users commonly refer to them as “Binge in a Can” or “Black-out in a Can”.  However, the industry often markets them as “progressive adult beverages.” Despite this, all young people are trying alcopops, unaware of the detrimental effects it has on their health and perception. 

Health risks for minors include: 

•  Increased anxiety, panic attacks, headaches, sleep deprivation, and stomach aches. 
• The hindrance of frontal lobe brain development (the brain does not stop developing until the early 20‟s) 
• Increased risk of injury and/or death while operating a motor vehicle. 

A 2009 Marin Institute Report stated that underage Alcopop consumption has led to a cost of $548,560,000, 24 deaths, and 20,121 incidents of harm in New York State alone. These statistics are based on traffic accidents, suicides, violence, poisonings and fetal alcohol syndrome. 

Parents are encouraged this summer to speak to their children about the danger of alcopops. “Our goal here is to encourage brand and consumption awareness so that parents and their children know what an acceptable drink is and what isn‟t, especially when the beverage looks or sounds like a fruit drink. What want everyone to have a safe summer.” stated Joseph DeMarzo, Director of the Putnam County Youth Bureau/Mental Health Department. Parents are also encouraged to keep an inventory of their own alcohol supply to prevent any oversight.  

Members of the Putnam CTC Coalition are available if you have any questions or would like for us to do a presentation to your organization on this or any other substance abuse trends that affect our children. Please call the National Council on Alcoholism & Drug Dependencies of Putnam at 845-225-4646, Ext. 13 for information and referrals. Please visit and join us on Facebook by searching “Putnam County Communities That Care – NY” or by searching Twitter at “PutnamCTCNY”. 

Vote on the PSA you like best!

Vote on the PSA you like to see on TV in Putnam! Both have prevention messages about alcohol/substance use. We'd love your input!

 

 

First video link: http://www.facecatalog.org/Early_Onset_Television_PSA_p/tv17.htm

 

Second video link: http://www.facecatalog.org/Thin_Line_Television_PSA_p/tv52.htm

Please VOTE AT THIS LINK HERE: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/NK7WHLF

Thank you!

Putnam Represented at New York State Hearing on Underage Drinking

-Albany, NY 

Assemblyman and Chairman of the Assembly’s Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Committee Steven Cymbrowitz (D- Brooklyn), along with Representatives Felix Ortiz (D-Brooklyn), Marcos Crespo (D-Bronx), Michael DenDekker (D- Queens), and Eric Stevenson (D-Bronx) held a hearing on Wednesday, May 25, 2011 in Albany, NY, regarding underage drinking in New York State in light of the possible cuts facing substance use prevention services. The hearing included testimony from youth leaders, law enforcement personnel,  NYS Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) Commissioner Arlene Gonzalez-Sanchez,  John Coppola, Executive Director of the NYS Association of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Providers (ASAP), and Dan Sisto, Chairman of Law Enforcement Against Drunk Driving. 

Putnam County was represented at the hearing by Kristin E. Cafiero, Executive Director of the National Council on Alcoholism and Other Drug Dependencies/Putnam and Elaine N. Santos, Putnam County Communities That Care Coalition Coordinator. The hearing focused on the prevention of underage drinking by limiting accessibility, curbing the high amount of advertising youth are exposed to on a daily basis, researching the possibility of an alcohol beverage surcharge, and discussing the controversial move of allowing wine to be sold in supermarkets and gas stations in the State. Also discussed were the possible consequences, positive and/or negative, of lowering the drinking age. Future hearings will take place for each specific strategy or concern outlined during the 17 testimonies. 

Both Putnam representatives were on hand to participate in the important discussion and stand for the County’s stance on risk and protective factors as it relates to underage alcohol intake. “In Putnam County, we have a rate of 38.8% of all students’ grades 8-12 admitting to alcohol consumption within the past 30 days, so we must remain vigilant in trying to take preventive measures to protect our youth. Cutting prevention services at a time when our community needs it most would be tragic” stated Cafiero. 

Cymbrowitz said that it was clear from the testimony of many of the witnesses that New York State must continue to invest in providing a full range of preventive services.  “In 2007, substance abuse cost New York State $3.5 billion due to work loss, medical care and other problems related to young people using alcohol. Now is not the time to cut spending on prevention programs.  With a multi-billion price tag on underage drinking we can’t afford to ignore the problem, we must deal with it head on”. 

For alcohol and substance information and referral services, please contact the National Council on Alcoholism and Other Drug Dependencies at (845) 225-4646.