NASHVILLE —  Did you know that there are an estimated 10.8 million
underage drinkers in the U.S? Forty-five percent of 12th graders, 34
percent of 10th graders and 17 percent of 8th graders reported using
alcohol in the past month — more than cigarettes and marijuana combined, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism of
the National Institutes of Health.
 That's why the Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of Tennessee (WSWT)
have partnered with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) this fall on the
2009 "We Don't Serve Teens" campaign, a public awareness initiative
aimed at curbing underage drinking.
 Tennessee wholesalers will distribute "We Don't Serve Teens" campaign
materials to restaurants and retail wine and spirits outlets across the
state.  The retail outlets will display the materials — which include
stickers, posters and vinyl "clings" — to remind customers that it is
not only illegal for anyone under the age of 21 to buy alcoholic
beverages, but it is also illegal for underage persons to consume
alcohol.
 "Underage drinking continues to be a problem, not only in Tennessee, but
across the country," said Thomas E. Bernard, president of WSWT.  "As an
industry, we are committed to protecting the youth in our communities by
preventing their access to alcohol and also spreading the message to
customers that they should never serve teens, not even in their own
homes."
 Founded by the FTC in 2007, "We Don't Serve Teens" confronts the
pervasive problem of alcohol use among the underage population.
 Bernard said as the distributors of beverage alcohol in the state,
members of WSWT feel a special responsibility to helping ensure that the
laws of Tennessee governing alcohol are strongly enforced, and that an
atmosphere of moderation, regulation and control is maintained.
 The national "We Don't Serve Teens" Week was officially recognized in
2007 by the U.S. House and Senate with the passing of a resolution
introduced by the Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of America. "The 'We
Don't Serve Teens' campaign recognizes that all three tiers of the
beverage alcohol industry play a key role in the prevention of underage
drinking and unites all of those participants in a concerted effort to
protect America's youth," the resolution states.

 About "We Don't Serve Teens"
The "We Don't Serve Teens" campaign is sponsored by a coalition of
public and private sector organizations, including The Century Council,
the Federal Trade Commission, Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of America,
Inc., the U.S. Department of Treasury Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade
Bureau, the National Alcohol Beverage Control Association, Students
Against Destructive Decisions, the National Liquor Law Enforcement
Association, the Responsible Retailing Forum, the National Association
of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors, Inc., the National Consumers
League and the American Beverage Licensees. For more information on the
campaign or to order materials, visit www.dontserveteens.gov


About Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of Tennessee (WSWT)
 The Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of Tennessee, a registered 501(c)(6)
organization, is a statewide trade association comprised of 19
family-owned local businesses in Tennessee that play a central role in
wine and spirits distribution. The mission of WSWT is to maintain the
appropriate legal and regulatory environment for the distribution of
beverage alcohol in the state of Tennessee so as to ensure the safe and
responsible use of its products. Please visit www.wswt.org.

JacksonTN Moms Editor