By Bruce Desmond, Alderman at Large

(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries of The Somerville News belong solely to the authors of those commentaries and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville News, its staff or publishers.)

State and local communities are becoming increasingly alarmed by the alcohol industry’s aggressive marketing campaigns. The alcohol industry spends more than $5.7 billion each year marketing its products. Of particular concern is the exposure of underage youth to advertising and promotional messages that glamorize alcohol and downplay or ignore risks associated with underage drinking, and tout alcohol as an integral part of becoming an adult. At least with normal advertising media such as television, magazines, sporting events and music events, parents have an opportunity to avoid the advertisement. By placing billboard ads near parks, playgrounds and schools, all places that are unavoidable by children, the alcohol industry is creating an involuntary and unavoidable form of solicitation to a select audience. Kids are automatically exposed to it and can’t avoid it. The ordinance that I have proposed, if enacted, would prohibit the outdoor advertising of any alcoholic beverage within 500 feet of playgrounds, elementary or secondary schools, places of worship or child care facilities. Somerville already prohibits advertising alcoholic beverages on public property or property controlled by the city, such as the new bus stop shelters.

For years Somerville has strongly supported classroom education and other youth programs designed to reduce underage drinking and prevent the problems that come with it, such as accidental death, violence, risky sexual behavior, suicide and unwanted sexual activity. We have contracted with agencies to provide alcohol and drug abuse treatment. Allowing something like this to go on is in direct contrast to everything else we do to protect our kids. I certainly don’t believe that this is the ‚Äúbe all – end all‚Äù of kids drinking, far from it. I do believe however, that there exists a serious problem that has to be addressed in every way possible.

Federal and State surveys show that alcohol is the most widely used drug at all ages of adolescence. They also show that a child that begins drinking before the age of 15 is four times more likely to develop a dependency on alcohol as opposed to one who waits until the legal age of 21. Our own health survey performed in 2006 and 2007 showed that 29 percent of Somerville 8th graders drank alcohol.  The state average was 17 percent. It also showed that 21 percent of those 8th graders were binge drinkers (5 or more drinks in a two hour period). If the previous statistic holds true, nearly one out of every three of our 8th graders will develop a dependency on alcohol.

The alcohol industry has admitted that alcohol advertisements promote underage drinking.

Just as it was for tobacco ads, exposure to and liking of alcohol ads affects whether kids will drink. The alcohol industry is intentionally and systematically developing lifelong consumers. Alcohol advertisements are placed near parks, schools and playgrounds because they cannot be avoided by their target audience, our children. I would like that to not be the case in Somerville. To my knowledge, no other community in Massachusetts has adopted legislation such as this. Somerville will again lead the way. In this case, lead the way at protecting our children from another of Madison Avenue’s unconscionable schemes to make a buck at the expense of our children’s health and well being.