"Federal, State and local law enforcement officers will be out in full force this weekend. Our officers will turn away underage border crossers, arrest drunk drivers and send intoxicated pedestrians to detox centers," said Lt. Vincent Villalvazo of the San Diego Police Department. "We are encouraged by the project’s leadership in finding creative solutions and working with us to find additional resources to strengthen our enforcement operation," he added.

Fueled by scientific research, a coalition of public health advocates, parents, youth, educators, community and business leaders, has proposed additional strategies to complement and strengthen existing enforcement efforts. Holiday enforcement operations come at a time when new preliminary research data seems to indicate that on any given weekend night nearly 400 overly intoxicated partiers pour out of just five Tijuana night clubs before returning to the U.S.. "The new information is significant because we now know which bars in Tijuana serve alcohol to people who are already intoxicated," said James Baker, Executive Director of the Institute for Health Advocacy (IHA).

These findings are the latest in the ongoing scientific research being conducted as part of a project spearheaded by IHA to reduce the regional health and safety impacts of U.S. teen and binge drinking in Tijuana. This project is an example of a comprehensive, science-based approach to alcohol and drug prevention.

"This information is useful in working with bars to upgrade their serving and marketing practices and discourage binge drinking without adversely impacting their profits," said Juan Tintos, Baja California Secretary of Tourism. "Avenida Revolucion merchants are working to modify marketing and business practices that attract older, more up-scale tourists, which is consistent with our region’s economic growth."

Tijuana bar owners and managers have taken initial steps to implement a responsible beverage service (RBS) training program offered through the Baja California Department of Tourism and Tijuana’s alcohol regulation agency. RBS strategies have proven effective in Pacific Beach and other communities throughout the U.S. and other countries. "The Tijuana RBS training program is just beginning. The research findings have been shared with Tijuana bar owners and regulators so that they may have an opportunity to modify their service and marketing strategies within the RBS framework," said Marian Novak with the San Diego State University Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention Partnership Project.

"This is an excellent opportunity to build on enforcement, false ID training in Tijuana, education on U.S. college campuses and other activities which already are at work to reduce this regional problem," said Ron Ottinger, Chair of San Diego County Youth Access to Alcohol Policy Panel. "New marketing strategies for Tijuana bars are only part of the solution, the next step is to dramatically increase resources to implement a vigorous Zero Tolerance law enforcement operation along the U.S. side of the border," he added.

The coalition is working to obtain additional resources to launch a full-scale youth zero tolerance DUI enforcement initiative by the end of year. Project leaders anticipate that law enforcement to vigorously patrol the port of entry area and nearby surface streets for drunk drivers and those intoxicated pedestrians who may attempt to drive off from nearby parking lots. The goal is to eliminate 90% or more of the nightly violators. Past experience shows that constant enforcement is critical initially; however, over time underage violators become discouraged from drinking and a smaller enforcement presence is needed to maintain control of the situation.

"Taking away one of the most valued possessions of a teenager, the driver’s license, has proven extremely effective in reducing underage drinking throughout the country, said Dr. Robert Voas, IHA’s senior scientist and the leading national expert on youth DUI. " The border is a perfect location to enforce our zero tolerance law where hundreds of violators cross every night,"added Voas.

California led the way in 1994 by implementing the nation’s first Zero Tolerance Law. Because of federal government incentives, nearly all states are currently implementing similar laws. Under California’s law, anyone under 21 years old driving a motor vehicle with a measurable amount of alcohol (.01% BAC or above, about one third of a beer) can loose their driver’s license on the spot for one year. Teenage offenders who do not yet have a driver’s license must wait a year before becoming eligible for one again. The rate of successful appeals through the Department of Motor Vehicles has been very low because the evidence is strong. Police officers measure the alcohol through a portable breath tester.