NBWA clashes with CSPI over pending NAS study

Modern Brewery Age, June 16, 2003

At the end of June, the National Academy of Sciences is scheduled to release a report that evaluates national efforts on preventing underage drinking. Although the National Beer Wholesalers Association had encouraged the the NAS effort, the association says it began to detect an anti-industry bias in the effort. "We are concerned by the steps taken to date by the NAS panel to focus on issues which were not part of Congress' original intent and the anti-industry bias of panelists, agendas and witnesses," says NBWA president David Rehr.

NB WA's comments on the NAS report have drawn fire from George Hacker, director if the Alcohol Policies Project, Center for Science in the Public Interest.

"Even before the release [of the report], the NBWA has assailed the report as a misuse of taxpayer dollars and has begun lobbying Congress to undermine its importance. We're not surprised by this thuggish behavior from the NBWA. What else would one expect from a group that may stand to lose some of its franchise on underage drinkers, who consume, according to some studies, as much 20% of all the alcohol downed in the United States, most of that in the form of beer? We're appalled that the NBWA would be so quick to deep-six a high-level scientific inquiry into real solutions to an enormous problem."

NBWA president David Rehr says he was incensed that Hacker described NB WA's behavior as "thuggish." Rehr wrote a letter to Hacker, taking issue with his comments. "While we have disagreed on many policy issues over the years," Rehr wrote, "I was extremely disappointed to read your characterization of NBWA as "thugs" in a recent statement regarding our efforts to ensure that all programs combating illegal underage purchase and consumption are included in the upcoming NAS report I am saddened that our difference of opinion on issues has resorted to baseless name calling."

The pending NAS report has been characterized as an effort to develop a science-based national strategy to prevent underage drinking.

As part of this strategy, CSPI wants a national media campaign on underage drinking, independent of those fielded by the brewers. "It would be about ending our national denial of underage drinking as a major public health and safety issue, increasing public awareness and understanding of the destructive role of alcohol in young people's lives," Hacker says. "It would help strengthen community resolve and capacity to reduce and prevent underage drinking and its myriad harms."

In his letter responding to Hacker, Rehr wrote of the brewing industry's commitment to ending underage consumption. "NBWA members are second to none in their commitment to eliminate underage drinking," Rehr wrote. "The beer industry spends millions of dollars and sponsors hundreds of programs to encourage America's youth to refrain from the illegal purchase and consumption of licensed beverages. Because we take this problem seriously, the Association strongly advocated that Congress include a comprehensive study of existing underage drinking programs in the 2002 Labor-HHS Appropriations Conference Report

Rehr noted that National Academy of Sciences received $500,000 dollars to conduct a thorough review of existing federal, state and non-governmental programs to combat underage drinking. "NBWA members are taxpayers and opponents of underage purchase and consumption," Rehr wrote. "As such, we are concerned by the steps taken to date by the NAS panel to focus on issues which were not part of Congress' original intent and the anti-industry bias of panelists, agendas and witnesses.

NBWA members are small business owners, community activists, parents, religious leaders and philanthropists. To refer to the behavior of these community leaders as "thuggish" is insulting to our Association and to supporters of CSPI. I hope you will immediately alter your press statement and refrain from using such insulting language in the future."

At some point after the receipt of Rehr's letter by CSPI, the group excised the "thuggish behavior" comment from the copy of Hacker's statement on the CSPI web-site.

The new verbiage read: "We're not surprised by the NB WA's political attacks. What else would one expect from a group that may stand to lose some of its franchise on underage drinkers, who consume, according to some studies, as much 20% of all the alcohol downed in the United States, most of that in the form of beer?

Chris Blasinsky, manager/communications for NBWA noted the change in wording with elation. "We're no longer thugs!" she said.