Diageo Applauds Maryland Governor O'Malley for Strong Leadership on Alcohol
Policy Issues
Legislation Will Increase Penalties for Adults Who Enable Kids to Drink and
Maintain Flavored Beer's Rightful Status as Beer
BALTIMORE, May 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Diageo applauds Governor
O'Malley for signing Senate Bill 166/House Bill 76, meaningful underage
drinking legislation that increases the maximum criminal penalty for
furnishing or allowing underage consumption of alcohol, and for allowing
Senate Bill 745, which clarifies Maryland's long-standing practice of
classifying flavored beer as beer for taxation and regulatory purposes, to go
into effect.
By increasing the penalties against adults who provide those underage with
access to alcohol, Governor O'Malley took a positive step in the battle
against underage alcohol use. The key to keeping alcohol away from kids is
targeting their No. 1 source of alcohol: adults. A study conducted by The
Century Council, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to fighting underage
drinking, found that 65 percent of teens who drink obtain the alcohol from
adult family and friends.
Additionally, a report on underage drinking by the National Academy of
Sciences echoed this finding and reports that youth generally obtain alcohol
from adults, stating: "Parties, friends and adult purchasers are the most
frequent sources of alcohol among college students and older adolescents, and
younger adolescents also often obtain alcohol from family members." (Source:
National Research Council and Institute of Medicine (2004). Reducing underage
drinking: A collective responsibility. The National Academies Press.
Washington, D.C.)
"Governor O'Malley exhibited sound judgment on these two issues of alcohol
policy, both in recognizing that the key to combating underage drinking is
addressing the adults who allow kids access to alcohol and in the
classification of flavored beer as beer," said Dwayne Kratt, Senior Director,
State Government Relations, Diageo North America.
Kratt continued, "By focusing on meaningful legislation that addresses the
main source of alcohol to kids: adults who knowingly provide alcohol to
children, we can make a difference. We look forward to having the opportunity
to work with the Governor and the Maryland General Assembly on future
legislation focused on preventing underage drinking."
About Diageo
Diageo (Dee-AH-Gee-O) is the world's leading premium drinks business with
an outstanding collection of beverage alcohol brands across spirits, wines,
and beer categories. These brands include Johnnie Walker, Guinness, Smirnoff,
J&B, Baileys, Cuervo, Tanqueray, Captain Morgan, Crown Royal, Beaulieu
Vineyard and Sterling Vineyards wines.
Diageo is a global company, trading in more than 180 countries around the
world. The company is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and the
London Stock Exchange (DGE). For more information about Diageo, its people,
brands, and performance, visit us at http://www.diageo.com.
Celebrating life, every day, everywhere, responsibly.
SOURCE Diageo
Rachel Rosenblatt of FD for Diageo, +1-212-850-5697
