ALEXANDRIA, VA – America’s beer distributors applaud President Bush for his candor while talking to young Americans about his struggles overcoming alcohol abuse yesterday during a briefing on the latest Monitoring the Future survey which looks at the habits of America's young people with regard to drugs and alcohol.

The National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) urges the President to take the next step and advocate for full funding of the “Sober Truth on Preventing (STOP) Underage Drinking Act” (PL 109-422) which he signed into law on December 20, 2006. Funding for some of the programs included in the STOP Act is in the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations bill which currently is subject to negotiations between Congress and the White House.

While this year’s Monitoring the Future report shows progress in the fight against underage drinking, it is important to note the role that effective state-based alcohol regulation plays in fighting underage drinking and abuse. “The STOP Act also acknowledges the primary role state-based regulation plays in keeping alcohol beverages out of the hands of youth,” said NBWA President Craig Purser.

The legislation establishes a federal coordinating committee, chaired by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), to prevent underage drinking, and it authorizes a national media campaign, new grant programs and research to combat underage drinking. “With the funding of the STOP Act, federal, state and local governments will have additional tools and information to prevent alcohol purchase and consumption by those who are not of legal drinking age,” added Purser.