BILL GAITHER/The Register-MailJohn Sperlin attaches flyers detailing the dangers of alcohol to the tops of pizza boxes Saturday afternoon at The Pizza House.
Coalition aims at 'alcopops'
Group says sweet alcoholic beverages target females
Sunday, April 15, 2007
GALESBURG - Those ordering pizzas this weekend got more than just their pies.Fliers sponsored by the Knox County Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition and Bridgeway Inc. were attached to delivery boxes from several area pizza parlors as a part of Alcohol Awareness Month.
This year the fliers targeted a specific product-type, called by Diane Eager, a prevention specialist with Bridgeway Inc., as "alcopops."
"We've never focused on one alcohol product before," Eager said.
This year, prevention groups in Knox County are working with the Illinois Alcoholism and Drug Dependence Association, a state-level group on the issue of alcopops. Alcopops are drinks that combine malt liquor, hard liquor and a sweet flavoring. According to Eager, these kinds of drinks can contain up to 49 percent hard alcohol.
"They're kind of deceptive that way," Eager said. "The fact that they taste so sweet, people don't realize they have as much liquor in them as they do."
According to Eager, these beverages are particularly marketed to women and girls who may not like the taste of other alcohol.
"Most women aren't too crazy about beer," Eager said.
According to AlcoholPolicyMD.com, a prevention-oriented Web site sponsored by the American Medical Association, girls saw 95 percent more magazine advertising for low-alcohol refreshers than women who could legally drink per capita in 2002.
Alcohol Awareness Month is a national campaign sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and other organizations. According to Eager, those working on prevention in Knox County have participated for a number of years. In the past, Eager said, the focus of the month was on the broader issue of alcohol abuse. The focus on alcopops stems from a bill before the Illinois State Legislature exclusively aimed at this kind of product. Bill SB 1625 seeks to regulate the advertising of alcopops.
Participating Parlors
- Galesburg: Pizza House, Happy Joe's
- Knoxville: Alfano's
- Abingdon: Casey's, La Roma
- Wataga: Casey's
