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Who is
Missouri's Youth/Adult Alliance (MYAA)? |
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MYAA is a statewide
coalition that assists local community efforts in addressing underage
drinking. Its mission is to encourage advocates to reduce youth access
to alcohol by implementing environmental and social policy changes in
their communities. By changing policy we will improve the environment
that our children are living in each day; the environment that
encourages them to drink alcohol. MYAA is also a driving force behind
statewide advocacy efforts at the legislative level in Jefferson City;
the Coalition maintains a strong presence in and around the Capitol.
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During a time when the
media is filled with reports of illegal drug activity involving young
people, MYAA remains single-minded in its pursuit of reducing access to
the nation’s number one drug used by children and youth: alcohol. In
fact, many youth in the Missouri are actively involved in MYAA because
they understand the implications of youth alcohol use. These young
people are prepared to speak out about how they are targeted by the
alcohol industry and about how normalizing the use of alcohol in society
helps to create a climate of abuse. Our youth are a very instrumental
part of our coalition. |
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MYAA’s primary purpose, in its work to reduce underage drinking, is one
of policy-setting. Since 1997, the coalition has been instrumental in
the passage of such local ordinances as beer keg tracking and social
host/open house parties. These local efforts have paved the way for
success at the state level as well. In 2003, the Missouri legislature
passed SB 298 which includes language that requires a retail alcohol
licensee to attach a label to each beer keg sold for off-premises
consumption. The purchaser of the keg is required to present
identification and the retailer must keep records of the purchaser. If
the label is removed from the keg, the purchaser forfeits the keg
deposit. These provisions become effective July 1, 2004. |
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MYAA and its community
advocates continue to push for increasing the fees on alcohol, refining
the new keg tracking law, and other legislation that restricts youth
access to alcohol. Other areas of work include enforcing a minimum age
of patrons in bars, how alcohol is marketed to children and density of
alcohol outlets. |
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Membership in MYAA is
open to anyone interested in reducing underage drinking. As a MYAA
coalition member, individuals and community groups become a part of a
strong statewide advocacy network. |
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The average age when a
child in Missouri first has his or her first drinks of alcohol beyond a
few sips is 12.7 years, or about the sixth grade. As the
coalition continues to mobilize advocates to change public policy around
youth access to alcohol, the startling fact that sixth graders are
consuming alcohol and setting themselves on a potentially destructive
path drives MYAA’s mission. The focus remains
intent on the ultimate win: increasing the age of first use of alcohol
and creating a better future for young people of
Missouri. |
For more information
about MYAA, please
contact Alicia Ozenberger
at 573.635.6669 or toll free at 1.877.669.2280. |
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