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RCMP have 43 people on their naughty list for the third week of the annual holiday Checkstop program.
Manitoba stories

Thanks for following responsibility in the news with us this week.  Here’s a top to bottom review of the articles we’ve looked at since Monday.

UK Plays Defense

Harvard and U. South Carolina assess campus alcohol cultures

Minnesota seeks to loosen liquor laws, slightly

And if you’re celebrating a holiday this weekend, we at [CR] wish you a safe one.

Choose Responsibility Blog

We hope all of our readers were left unaffected by the tornadoes that moved through the Southeast yesterday. [CR] sends our thoughts to those who were put in harms way.

As you settle in and enjoy your weekend, be sure to check out these articles pertaining to college drinking.

Colleges are working to curtail binge drinking during spring break, which is often a week where heavy drinking is prevalent. Santa Fe College will host a pre-spring break event to address safe behavior. Read about it here.

Energy drinks and alcohol are popular among college students because of the quick buzz they offer. However, the drinks can be toxic, as reported here.

And finally, Indiana college students help push a Good Samaritan bill through the Indiana state legislature. The bill enables people to call for help in a situation where alcohol is involved (or someone is intoxicated) without the facing criminal charges. Several other states have passed similar bills, which encourage students to make alcohol harm reduction their first priority. Read the full article here.

Have a great rest of your weekend, and stay safe!

Choose Responsibility Blog

Brandon University’s unionized professors will vote over three days next week on whether to accept a contract offer from the institution and end a long strike.

Manitoba stories

We are excited to be visiting six middle schools in five different states this week. Today, we had a great visit to Wilson Southern Middle School with Congressman Gerlach in Sinking Spring, PA.

The kids were energetic and ready to play the game after Congressman Gerlach and The Century Council taught them how to “say ‘YES’ to a healthy lifestyle and ‘NO’ to underage drinking.”

They sure knew what they were doing! We’d like to thank Congressman Gerlach for his commitment to youth fitness and the kids at Wilson Southern Middle School for their energy and enthusiasm and we are sure they will make a great addition to the Ask, Listen, Learn Team!

Century Council Blog

Via Paula Kun of the National Association for Sport and Physical Education:

In celebration of National Physical Education and Sport Week (May 1-7) and National Physical Fitness and Sports Month, the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) wants you to know that physically active youth are healthy and ready to learn.

Academic achievement is just one of the many reasons to encourage our youth to become physically active. According to recent studies by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), substantial evidence suggests that physical activity can be associated with improved academic achievement, including grades and standardized test scores.

Whether you are a parent, principal, superintendent, school board member, legislator or concerned citizen, you have a role to play in helping our youth become active and in making quality physical education and physical activity a reality in your local school. Check out our new initiative called Let’s Move in School to learn about ways to increase physical activity before, during and after school.

Every child deserves opportunities to be physically active. A Physically active lifestyle helps build strong bones and muscles and will decrease the likelihood of developing obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. Physical activity also promotes positive mental health, resulting in not only increased health, but happiness as well.

Century Council Blog

It was a rough week for Manitoba’s criminal justice system, one many would rather forget. And it was only four days long. A rundown of the bruised and battered:

Winnipeg Sun – Manitoba

With 43 states in Regular Session, we have been extra busy reviewing legislation from sea to shining sea…and beyond, actually! Here are some highlights on The Century Council’s latest activities.

In Florida, we submitted support for H.B. 105 which increases the penalties for people who allow an open house party to take place in their residence and fail to take reasonable steps to prevent illegal consumption or possession by a minor. On Tuesday, the Criminal Justice Subcommittee voted 14-1, so it’s on to the full Judiciary Committee for consideration.

In Hawaii this week, we supported H.B. 96 which expands the fake ID law, improves the state’s “Use and Lose” law, and provides tiered fines for minors who illegally purchase, consume or possess alcohol. On Thursday, the House Economic Revitalization and Business Committee recommended (9 ayes, 0 noes, 2 excused) that the measure be passed with amendments. We are keeping an eye on this one.

In Virginia, The Century Council strongly supports S.B. 1075 which would vastly improve the administrative license revocation (ALR) law, providing effective consequences for drunk drivers while making the roadways safer for other motorists. Currently, Virginia ranks at the bottom of the 42 states with ALR laws—the majority of which impose a 90-day suspension. This bill would increase the suspension period upon arrest from seven to 60 days and, for a repeat offense, from 60 days until the time of the trial. Pending in the Senate Courts of Justice Committee, it is on the Criminal Sub-Committee’s docket for Monday, January 31. Our partners at the Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP) are behind this legislation and we hope you are, too!

Century Council Blog

According to a recent National Sleep Foundation poll, less than half of Americans say they get a good night’s sleep every night. In fact, 28% of American drivers have admitted to falling asleep at the wheel, and more than half (54%) said they have driven while drowsy.

November 8-14, 2010 is Drowsy Driving Prevention Week™ (DDPW). DDPW is a public awareness campaign designed to educate young drivers (and everyone on the road!) about the dangers of driving while sleepy. The National Sleep Foundation’s website provides a Toolkit with resources to inform your community about healthy sleep and drowsy driving prevention during DDPW and beyond. Get involved today.

Warning Signs: Feeling Sleepy? Stop Driving!

If you start to exhibit any of these warning signs, it’s time to get off the road.

• Have problems focusing, blink frequently and/or have heavy eyelids;

• Drift from your lane, swerve, tailgate and/or hit rumble strips;

• Have trouble remembering the last few miles driven;

• Miss exits or traffic signs;

• Have trouble keeping your head up;

• Yawn repeatedly;

• Find yourself rolling down the window or turning up the radio.

Find a safe place to pull over!

Resources:

Drowsy Driving Prevention Toolkit

2008 State of the States Report on Drowsy Driving

“Facts about Drowsy Driving”: Handout (PDF)

Key Messages and Talking Points: Drowsy Driving Prevention Week Campaign Materials

Century Council Blog

Social host laws are becoming more popular as legislators search for ways to cut down on underage drinking, and this week, California took a step toward instituting a statewide social host law of its own. On Monday, the California Assembly voted 67-1 to send bill AB 2486, which imposes liability on adults who knowingly serve alcohol to underage drinkers, to the Governor’s desk for his signature. Leave your feedback on social host laws in the comments, and then check out the rest of these recent headlines.

Stories this week:

In case you missed it: Tom Keane made the provocative case for changing alcohol regulations, including the drinking age, in his Sunday essay for the Boston Globe magazine.

Charles Couger’s op-ed in the Lansing State Journal explores the unintended consequences of alcohol prohibition aimed at 18-20 year-olds, which he says lead to dangerous situations for underage drinkers who attempt to evade law enforcement.

Eric Hafner of Red Bank, NJ believes that New Jersey should extend alcohol purchase and consumption privileges to 18-20 year-olds who are non-drivers. What do you think?

In other news…

Rheyanne Weaver, an EmpowHER contributor, compiled a guide for female college students and their parents called “Alcohol Safety for Women in College.” Check it out for up-to-date statistics on binge drinking by female college students and descriptions of some collegiate alcohol education programs.

In Ontario Canada, where the drinking age is 19, local officials have instituted a new policy that intends to cut down on drunk driving by younger drivers. From now on, drivers under the age of 22 with “any measurable blood alcohol concentration above zero will be breaking the law and will have their licenses immediately suspended at the roadside for 24 hours. A 0 fine also will be imposed, under the new provisions, and drivers will be subject to a further license suspension of 30 days, if convicted in court.”

Send us a tip in the comments if we missed something with this week’s news round-up.

Choose Responsibility Blog