North Carolina Regulators Can 'Bud Light' Amphitheater

Public Health Advocates Declare a Victory over Dangerous Beer Branding

SAN RAFAEL, Calif., June 17 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- With a resounding unanimous vote today, the North Carolina State Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission sided with public health advocates and denied a petition from the City of Raleigh to brand its new amphitheater with Bud Light beer.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100325/DC77162LOGO)

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100325/DC77162LOGO)

The Raleigh City Council's secret meetings with a beer producer and a local distributor outraged advocates concerned with alcohol-related harm and underage drinking from across North Carolina and the country. Anheuser-Busch InBev, makers of Bud Light, had agreed to pay the City $300,000 a year to name the new entertainment venue after the beer brand, in violation of North Carolina's own alcohol advertising policy. Thus, the corporation and the city petitioned the state ABC for a waiver.

The ABC commissioners considered opposition testimony today from a number of advocates including Ronald E. Bogle, retired Superior Court Judge, Phil Mooring, executive director of Families in Action, Reverend Mark H. Creech, executive director of the Christian Action League of North Carolina, Dylan Mulrooney-Jones, project coordinator North Carolina Preventing Underage Drinking Initiative, as well as youth from Youth Empowered Solutions. State ABC Chairman Jon Williams noted that the Commission had been "overwhelmed" with responses in opposition to the petition from across North Carolina and across the nation.

"By handing this defeat to the City of Raleigh and Anheuser-Busch InBev, the entertainment facility will remain a family-friendly venue," stated Michael Scippa, public affairs director at Marin Institute. "This sends a strong message to Anheuser-Busch InBev and Big Alcohol entities that offering sponsorships to cash-strapped governments will be met with strong opposition from communities concerned with the public health and safety of its residents, especially youth," he added.

It has been well documented that youth are heavily influenced by alcohol advertising to consume alcohol products. Alcohol consumption causes serious injuries to youth, fueling youth violence and crime. One study quantified the total cost of underage drinking to North Carolina at $1.2 billion annually. The potential harm to North Carolina's youth outweighs any amount of revenue that the City of Raleigh would have received from Anheuser-Busch InBev.

For additional information on the dangers of alcohol marketing visit www.MarinInstitute.org.

SOURCE Marin Institute

WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM?

440k+
Newsrooms &
Influencers

9k+
Digital Media
Outlets

270k+
Journalists
Opted In

GET STARTED