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NJ Attorney General Paula Dow (Courtesy THE CENTURY COUNCIL)
The Monty Python-esque online and TV ads are produced by the non-profit Century Council and tie in to “Alcohol Awareness Month.”
They’re posted on YouTube and on Ask, Listen, Learn, an interactive site that asks children to pledge to be active for at least an hour a day and to say ‘no’ to underage drinking. It also offers tools for parents to help discuss the subjects with their kids.
The Century Council, dedicated to fighting drunk driving and underage drinking, developed Ask, Listen, Learn with a team of educators and psychologists specializing in middle school-aged students.
Others participating in the campaign include short track speed skater Apolo Anton Ohno and professional snowboarder Gretchen Bleiler, who act as role models and interact with kids on how to make wise decisions and why.
Youngsters can also can play online educational games and download activities to learn more about the importance of making healthy choices.
For all the playfulness, though, there is a serious underying component:
Nearly four out of 10 students report they have consumed alcohol at least once by the end of 8th grade, according to the 2010 “Monitoring the Future Survey.”
Seven of 10 say they have done so by the end of high school. A full 36% of eighth grade students, 58% of tenth graders, and 71% of twelfth graders report they have tried alcohol at least once in their lifetime, the survey showed.
What’s worse, 65 percent of kids under the age of 21 who said they drink claimed they got the alcohol from family members or friends.
The Paula Dow video:
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