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Guest commentary, March 8, 2002

Close the loophole on teen drinking

Sandra Hoover

Institute for Public strategies

Ladies drink for free. Cheap drink specials. A legal drinking age of 18. Scantily dressed women. Sex. Easy access to clubs that are open until 5:00 am and :all you can drink" specials. These messages permeate San Diego County high school and college campuses with a single goal: luring youth under the age of 21 to Tijuana, Mexico, to drink and party.

School kiosks, billboards, the radio and the Internet feature such promotions. So do newspapers, record stores, coffee shops and other places frequented by youth. The ads target a population that can't legally buy or drink alcohol. But because of a loophole in the law, promoters aren't held accountable when they encourage underage drinking across the border.

For the sake of San Diego's youth — and for the safety of our communities — that loophole must be closed. Promoters enticing youth to drink in Mexico must be called to task for their irresponsible marketing schemes.

US promoters, many of them working for Tijuana bar owners, use clever, hip advertisements to attract young people who are too young to drink in the US. And our youth do notice: each weekend night, approximately 8,000 individuals cross the border into Mexico, and nearly half of those are under the age of 21.

The use of alcohol by young people leads to injury, unplanned sexual activity and criminal behavior. It makes our schools less effective, our highways less safe, and our communities less vital.

Fortunately, parents can do something to protect their children.

The Initiate for Public Strategies, a nonprofit organization, conducting alcohol and other drug prevention in San Diego County, is currently working with other prevention groups and members of San Diego City Council to pass a law banning all ads that target youth under 21 to drink in Mexico.

Despite attempts to provide good information about alcohol, parents are up against the contrary messages youth find in the media, their peers and possibly their parents' own behavior. Because of the way they saturate our culture, these messages are very difficult to combat.

Alcohol is not a legal product for consumption by minors and therefore should not be advertised in a manner, place or time where our youth will be influenced. By taking legal steps to stop bar promotions directed at teens, the state and city can help give our youth a better chance to lead healthy, productive lives.

For more information or to get involved, contact Sandra Hoover at the Institute for Public Strategies (474-8844) or visit our Web site at http://www.publicstrategies.org/BORDER_PROJECT.htm

Sandra Hoover is the director of policy development at the Institute for Public Strategies in National City.

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