Binge, underage drinking targeted in media campaign

A media campaign targeting binge and underage drinking in Jefferson County through television ads, billboards and social media is being launched this month.

The campaign focuses on middle school youth, the age group at which alcohol experimentation most often begins, and on college-age adults, the Iowa population with the highest binge drinking rates.

Jefferson County is one of 23 counties chosen for the campaign, which is funded through the Strategic Prevention Framework State Incentive Grant and administered by the Iowa Department of Public Health.

The ads targeted at underage drinking are aimed at reaching middle-schoolers before their critical decision moment.

?We want to make kids stop and think about their drinking decision,? said Don Sander, SPFSIG coordinator. ?By educating them about what they stand to lose by making the decision to use alcohol, it empowers them to take control of their life.? Billboards will feature bottle caps imprinted with words including respect, your dreams, friendships and your future ? emphasizing that underage drinking comes at a cost.

Since most college students and young adults do not see binge drinking as a problem, the ?Stay Classy? campaign stresses personal evaluation to help young adults identify when fun becomes trouble.

Both campaigns avoid lecturing, encouraging individuals to make choices that are healthy and in their own best interest.

For more information about efforts to prevent and reduce underage and binge drinking, visit the SPFSIG website at www.idph.state.ia.us/spfsig/about_us.asp.