Indiana Communities Need to Keep Students Safe and Sober

Any time a young person dies from binge drinking on a college campus, local communities are devastated. So, how can college communities prevent these tragedies from happening?

Rosemary King, a research associate at Indiana University's Indiana Prevention Resource Center, recently wrote an editorial about the importance of a community support.

"There are evidence-based approaches that can be implemented to reduce alcohol and drug use, including increasing law enforcement activities, restricting alcohol advertising and price promotions, and providing alcohol-free student activities," wrote King.

Click here to read the full editorial in The Indianapolis Star.

If your organization is sponsoring alcohol-free events in college communities, send the event info to editor@projectRAD.com.

More on the Moratorium at Purdue University

In the last newsletter issue, Project RAD informed readers about a short-lived drinking moratorium on the Purdue University campus.

Assistant Dean of Students and Director of Fraternity & Sorority Life Kyle A. Pendleton wrote an article explaining the actions taken during the time frame and events aimed at preventing binge drinking.

Click here to read more.

Boosting Alcohol Sales with Breast Cancer Marketing

Consumers who want to support breast cancer research through shopping can choose from pink T-shirts, lip gloss and, increasingly, booze.

Mike's Hard Lemonade now comes in a pink variety. Pink wines sport pink ribbons. And Chambord, which markets pink vodka and liqueurs, urges people to "pink their drink," saying that "by adding a splash of Chambord to any cocktail, you're supporting breast cancer awareness year-round."

All of them have given money to breast cancer causes - and highlight the donations in their ads.

That has led to criticism by some breast cancer survivors, who say it's hypocritical to raise money for research while selling a product that contributes to the disease.

Consuming two drinks a day increases a woman's risk of breast cancer by more than 20 percent compared with women who don't drink at all. Over a lifetime, that boosts a woman's risk of breast cancer from 1 in 8 to nearly 1 in 6.

Click here to read more about the cancer-related risks and benefits of having a drink.

The recession was a sobering event for the American middle class, writes Mark Whitehouse for the Wall Street Journal.

From 2007 to 2009, the 24,033 households classified as middle class cut their average annual spending on alcohol by 20.1 percent, the Labor Department reported in its Consumer Expenditures Survey. On average, U.S. households in the middle spent $330 last year on alcohol, down from $413 in 2007 before the recession kicked into high gear.

The survey did not reveal whether or not the shift in spending was a result of people buying a smaller quantity or switching to less expensive alcohol.

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