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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCM Alcopop-Free Zones 2012Agenda Item No: 4. a Meeting Date: September 4, 2012 SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT Department: Management Services Prepared by: Jim Schutz, � City Manager Approval: Assistant City Manager SUBJECT: APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN RAFAEL TO SUPPORT ALCOPOP-FREE ZONES AND ENCOURAGING RETAILERS TO ADOPT VOLUNTARY RESTRICTIONS ON THE SALES AND MARKETING OF ALCOPOPS (FLAVORED MALT BEVERAGES) BACKGROUND: According to the American Medical Association (AMA), approximately 11 million American youth under the age of 21 drink alcohol. Nearly half of them drink to excess, consuming five or more drinks in a row, one or more times in a two week period. The AMA states that alcohol is the most frequently used drug by high school seniors, and its use is increasing. Boys usually try alcohol for the first time at just 11 years old, while the average age for American girls' first drink is 13. The AMA offers the following: • Underage drinking is a factor in nearly half of all teen automobile crashes, the leading cause of death among teenagers. • Alcohol use contributes to youth suicides, homicides and fatal injuries — the leading cause of death among youth after auto crashes. • Alcohol abuse is linked to as many as two-thirds of all sexual assaults and date rapes of teens and college students. • Alcohol is a major factor in unprotected sex among youth, increasing their risk of contracting HIV or other transmitted diseases. The AMA has found "reasons for concern due to serious health issues" among teenagers who consume alcopops. Alcopops, a colloquial term for sweet -flavored malt beverages, are usually sold in single serving bottles or cans and are often fruit -flavored and/or bubbly and resemble soda or other soft drinks. Alcopops are known in the industry as "flavored malt beverages," 49malternatives," and "flavored alcoholic beverages." The AMA, in the fall of 2004, worked with "Harris Interactive" and "Teenage Research Unlimited" on two surveys that gauged consumption and perception information from teenage girls and adult women. The surveys found that: approximately one-third of teen girls have tried alcopops, teen girls drink all kinds of alcohol more than boys, 82% of teen girls who have tried f3+7:�+►I�Ifl�slt��(i7TI�1 File No.: 13 —1 Council Meeting: Disposition: )&_1;;:511_0710A1 f 3Ltc� SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / PaLe: 2 alcopops believe they taste better than beer or other alcoholic drinks, and many girls (34%) incorrectly think that alcopops have less alcohol than beer. In regards to advertising, the surveys found that more than half of all teens have seen alcopop ads; more than 60% of teen girls who have seen TV, print, or in-store ads have also tried alcopops; and teen girls who have seen ads said alcopops taste better than other alcoholic drinks by a nine to one margin and think alcopops are easier to drink by an eight to one margin. In regards to harms, the surveys found that one in five teen girls who have tried alcopops have vomited or passed out from drinking this particular form of alcoholic beverage. One of four teen girls who have tried alcopops have operated a motor vehicle after drinking or were a passenger in a car with a driver who had been drinking some type of alcopop beverage. One is six teen girls who tried alcopop beverages is reported to have been sexually active after drinking. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state the following as examples of the impacts of underage drinking: school problems, social problems, legal problems, physical problems, physical and sexual assault, alcohol-related car crashes, memory problems, and higher risk for suicide and homicide. ANALYSIS: San Rafael -based "Alcohol Justice" is an industry watchdog with the following mission: "to promote evidence -based public health policies and organize campaigns with diverse communities and youth against the alcohol industry's harmful practices." Representatives from Alcohol Justice, and other local organizations such as the Canal neighborhood group "Youth for Justice" and the "Teen Environmental Leadership Academy" recently requested that the San Rafael City Council adopt a resolution supporting an alcopop-free zone in San Rafael. According to Alcohol Justice, in May 2012 the County of Marin became the country's first jurisdiction to declare an alcopop-free zone. Some vendors in San Rafael, such as Andy's Markets and United Markets, have already pledged their support for the coalition. Alcohol Justice states that "supersized alcopops" are packaged and marketed as single serve - ready -to -drink alcoholic beverages that typically are 24 ounces and often have a high alcohol content (up to 12% by volume), the equivalent to 4.7 servings of alcohol. They add that alcopops "serve as a transition or bridge from soft drinks to alcohol, especially for young girls." The attached resolution supports the establishment of an alcopop-Free Zone in San Rafael and encourages all alcohol retailers to voluntarily stop buying, stocking, selling, and marketing alcopops. RECOMMENDED ACTION: Staff recommends that the City Council adopt the attached Resolution. OPTIONS: • Approve the Resolution • Modify Resolution and/or Direct Staff to Return with Modifications ATTACHMENTS: Resolution RESOLUTION NO. 13408 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN RAFAEL TO SUPPORT ALCOPOP-FREE ZONES AND ENCOURAGING RETAILERS TO ADOPT VOLUNTARY RESTRICTIONS ON THE SALES AND MARKETING OF ALCOPOPS (FLAVORED MALT BEVERAGES) WHEREAS, the City of San Rafael acknowledges the epidemic of underage drinking is a factor in nearly half of all teen automobile crashes, the leading cause of death among teenagers as reported by the American Medical Association (AMA); and WHEREAS, the AMA states that approximately 11 million American youth under the age of 21 drink alcohol with nearly half of them drinking to excess, consuming five or more drinks in a row, one or more times in a two-week period, and WHEREAS, alcopops for the purposes of this resolution are defined as flavored malt beverages that appeal to young and under -aged consumers (as described under Title 27 of the Code of Federal Regulations § 25.55); and WHEREAS, the AMA has found "reasons for concern due to serious health issues" among teenagers who consume alcopops; and WHEREAS, alcopops are often fruity, bubbly, high in sugar, brightly colored, brightly packaged, and with youthful and/or sexually-connotated names, backed up by trendy and social media oriented sales campaigns; and WHEREAS, alcopops are packaged and marketed in a way that encourages underage youth to drink them and increase the likelihood that underage youth, their families and community, will suffer from the consequences of underage drinking; and WHEREAS, many of the newer alcopops are supersized, that is they are marketed and packaged as single servings of malt beverage in cans containing the equivalent of four to five standard drink sizes (with 23.5 or 24 ounces of liquid and 8% to 12% alcohol), which is enough alcohol to cause dangerous inebriation and possible poisoning if consumed by an underage youth; and WHEREAS, the AMA reports that approximately one-third of teen girls have tried alcopops, that teen girls drink all types of alcoholic beverages more than boys, 82% of teen girls who have tried alcopops believe they taste better than beer or other alcoholic drinks, and many girls (34%) incorrectly think that alcopops have less alcohol than beer; and WHEREAS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention state the following as examples of the impacts of underage drinking: school problems, social problems, legal problems, physical problems, physical and sexual assault, alcohol-related car crashes, memory problems, and higher risk for suicide and homicide; and WHEREAS, retailers may voluntarily enter into agreements with youth and community leaders to participate in geographic zones where alcopops are not bought, stocked, sold or marketed; and WHERAS, representatives from Alcohol Justice, and other local organizations such as the Canal neighborhood group "Youth for Justice" and the "Teen Environmental Leadership Academy" recently requested that the San Rafael City Council adopt a resolution supporting an alcopop-free zone in San Rafael. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, the City of San Rafael supports the establishment of an Alcopop-Free Zone in San Rafael and that the City Council encourages all alcohol retailers to voluntarily stop buying, stocking, selling, and marketing alcopops. 1, Esther C. Beirne, Clerk of the City of San Rafael, hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution was duly and regularly introduced and adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of San Rafael, held on Tuesday, the 4t" of September 2012, by the following vote, to wit'. AYES: Councilmembers: Connolly, Heller, McCullough & Vice -Mayor Levine NOES: Councilmembers: None ABSENT: Councilmembers: Mayor Phillips Esther C. Beirne, City Clerk CITY OF SAN RAFAEL INSTRUCTIONS: USE THIS FORM WITH EACH SUBMITTAL OF A CONTRACT, AGREEMENT, ORDINANCE OR RESOLUTION BEFORE APPROVAL BY COUNCIL / AGENCY. SRRA / SRCC AGENDA ITEM NO. 4.a DATE OF MEETING: 09/04/12 FROM: Jim Schutz DIA M -Al Oat I u ► 1►� DATE: August 23, 2012 TITLE OF DOCUMENT: APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN RAFAEL TO SUPPORT ALCOPOP-FREE ZONES AND ENCOURAGING RETAILERS TO ADOPT VOLUNTARY RESTRICTIONS ON THE SALES AND MARKETING OF ALCOPOPS (FLAVORED MALT BEVERAGES) ent idea! (signature) (LOWER HALF OF FORM FOR APPROVALS ONLY) APPROVED AS COUNCIL / AGENCY AGENDA ITEM: City Manager (' nature) APPROVED AS TO FORM: i q j r City Attorney (signature