Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) is calling for the reauthorization of The Sober Truth on Preventing (STOP) Underage Drinking Act — and wants your help to make it happen.

“In December of 2006, a bi-partisan, bi-cameral effort to combat underage drinking culminated with the passage of the Sober Truth on Preventing (STOP) Underage Drinking Act,” CADCA said in an Oct. 14 email to its coalition members and friends.

CADCA said the STOP Act has been successful, and the reauthorization of it would continue — and improve upon — the public health benefit of the current programs, because it:

• “Authorizes an additional $4 million, for a total of $9 million for the Community Based Coalition Enhancement grants to current and past Drug Free Community grantees;
• “Doubles the original investment in a multi-media campaign to educate parents and communities about the dangers of underage drinking to $2 million;
• “Calls for an Institute of Medicine report on the literature regarding the influence of drinking alcohol on the development of the adolescent brain;
• “Establishes grants to train pediatric health care providers in how best to screen and treat children and teens who have had alcohol exposures; and
• “Maintains funding for critical underage drinking research.”

If you have an opinion on this, please visit CADCA’s website for more information and to take action today.