Van Buren County Joins Media Campaign Launch

Underage Alcohol Use and Underage Binge Drinking Targeted

A media campaign targeting underage alcohol use and underage binge drinking in Van Buren County is being launched this year. The campaign, which includes radio ads, posters, billboards and social media, focuses on middle school youth ages 13-16, the age group at which alcohol experimentation most often begins.

Van Buren County is one of 12 counties chosen for the campaign, which is through the Iowa Partnerships for Success Grant funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Substance Abuse Prevention and is administered by the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH).

“We want to make kids stop and think about their drinking decision,” said Kris Rankin, Van Buren County IPFS Coordinator.  “By educating them about what they stand to lose by making the decision to use alcohol, it empowers them to take control of their life.” The ads feature bottle caps and cans imprinted with words including ‘respect,’ ‘your dreams,’ ‘friendships,’ and ‘your future’ – emphasizing that underage drinking comes at a cost.

For more information about the Van Buren County SAFE Coalition’s efforts to prevent and reduce underage drinking and binge drinking, visit www.vbsafecoalition.com.  For information on the Iowa Partnerships for Success Grant, visit http://idph.iowa.gov/substance-abuse/programs/ipfs