ASAM Joins Effort to Reduce Underage Drinking Through STOP Act Reauthorization

As part of the National Alliance for Underage Drinking, ASAM sent a letter to Representative Roybal-Allard, Representative Joyce, and Representative DeLauro in support of reauthorization of the Sober Truth on Preventing (“STOP Act”). First passed by Congress in 2006 and later reauthorized in the 21^st Century Cures Act, the STOP Act aims to reduce underage age drinking through a comprehensive approach comprised of cost-effective, evidence-based strategies.

The Stop Act has been effective – local coalition grantees have reported significant rate decreases in past-30 -day alcohol use among high school students:

• ASAP Anderson reported 77.9% in Clinton, TN in 2020
• Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Team Coalition reported 21.9% in Lisbon, OH 2018
• Plymouth Mouth Development Collaborative reported 50.4% in Plymouth, MA in 2018
• Unite! Washougal Community Coalition reported 6.2% in Washougal, WA in 2018

The current reauthorization of the STOP Act will provide support for continuing community-based enhancement grants for Drug-Free Communities, support for coordinating federal agencies’ efforts, an annual report to Congress on the state of underage drinking, a highly-visible, adult-oriented national media campaign on public health and safety benefits of evidence-based policies to reduce underage drinking, screening and brief intervention grants to pediatric health care providers to reduce underage drinking, and funding for additional research on Excessive Alcohol Use by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In addition, the STOP Act reauthorization will add a National Academies of Sciences’ research literature review regarding public policy implications of the influence of alcohol of adolescent brain development.