Coalition warns alcohol industry targeting of Latinos will cause more problems; launches April Alcohol Awareness Month with Cinco de Mayo campaign.

Latino substance abuse prevention coalitions from around California today released a new report detailing the negative health, criminal justice, economic and social effects alcohol abuse and alcohol promotions have on Latinos.

Research in the new report shows that:

• 12% of homicides of Latinos occur in bars.

• Latino children are exposed to up to 61 alcohol advertisements each day.

• Aggressive, Latino-targeted alcohol advertisements and high alcohol outlet density increases the rate of rape and violence committed against Latinas.

• Liver disease and cirrhosis of the liver are the sixth and seventh leading causes of death among Latinos.

• Alcohol contributes to many cases of AIDS and teen pregnancy among Latinos.

• Latinos drink more alcoholic beverages per sitting than the rest of the population.

• One in three school children are Latinos, 45% of live births in California are Latinos, and young Latinos are the fastest growing segment of the population in California.

• The alcohol industry has made marketing to Latinos a top priority.

Research in the report came from a variety of sources including research done on Latinos and alcohol by Maria Luisa Alaniz Ph.D. and Raul Caetano Ph.D., from the Prevention Research Center in Berkeley. Alaniz's work focused on California Latino communities such as Redwood City and Union City. Other statistics came from sources such as the Center for Disease Control, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the California Department of Justice.

The report recommended the following policy actions to elected officials, community leaders and alcohol industry representatives:

• State and local officials must look at public policies to limit the over-concentration of alcohol outlets in Latino communities, and work with the alcoholic beverage industry to eliminate promotions that encourage heavy consumption among Latinos or demean Latinas.

• Alcohol problems, especially among Latino men, must be addressed in public healthcare systems. More education, prevention and treatment services are needed in these areas.

"Without addressing these realities, the alcohol industry's efforts to capitalize on the growing Latino market will only serve to worsen the lives of California Latinos by causing even more alcohol-related crimes, health problems and deaths."

CalPartners also launched its April Alcohol Awareness Month activities at Thursday's press conference, which will include a campaign to prevent alcohol abuse and offensive alcohol advertisements during the 1998 Cinco de Mayo holiday.

Latino prevention groups from all over California will be working to prevent unsafe celebrations, alcohol-related problems and offensive Cinco de Mayo advertisements and promotions during the 1998 Cinco de Mayo holiday period. "With April as Alcohol Awareness Month and with the results of this report so clear, we thought the time was right to do something ourselves about this crisis," Hernandez said.

The report is available online at http://www.calpartners.org/report.htm

(released 3/26/98)