Anheuser-Busch is committed to promoting alcohol responsibility year-round, but National Alcohol Awareness Month in April offers a timely reminder about the roles we all play in helping to keep our roads and children safe.

In close partnership with wholesalers, retailers, educators, parents, law enforcement officials, professional sports teams and many other organizations, Anheuser-Busch continues to reach adults across the United States with responsible drinking programs that focus on preventing drunk driving and underage drinking.

"Awareness and education are keys to encouraging alcohol responsibility," said Kathy Casso, vice president of Corporate Social Responsibility at Anheuser-Busch. "By working closely with our wholesalers to provide resources, training and tools to retailers and consumers, we help assure our beers are enjoyed responsibly by adults."

"Parents have a major influence on the decisions teens make about drinking," said Casso. "That's why April is a perfect time of year for parents to address the topic, as teenagers are getting ready to celebrate at proms and graduation parties."

To strengthen alcohol responsibility messages from March to May, an online advertising campaign is directing social media audiences to resources available at the Family Talk Facebook page, at facebook.com/AnheuserBuschFamilyTalkAboutDrinking. Developed by authorities in the areas of education, family counseling and alcohol treatment, Family Talk encourages open, honest communication between children and parents on this issue.

Anheuser-Busch also activated outdoor billboard advertising in 56 cities across the United States, delivering messages about Family Talk and "Prevent. Don't Provide" which reminds adults to not purchase alcohol for minors.

In fact, according to the 2009 GfK Roper Youth Report, 67 percent of youth, ages 13 to 17, cite their parents as the No. 1 influence on their decisions about whether they drink alcohol or not. Data show progress is being made as the 2010 Monitoring the Future Study reports record-low levels for past-month drinking among 10th and 12th graders. The 10th grade past-month drinking rate has declined 32 percent since tracking began in 1991. Past-month drinking among high school seniors has declined 40 percent since tracking began in 1975.

Additional highlights of Anheuser-Busch’s ongoing efforts include:

• Supporting I.D. Checking: The We I.D. program provides materials to remind consumers they will be asked to show an I.D. to purchase alcohol, along with I.D. guides to help cashiers and servers validate I.D.s.
  
• Training Programs: Server-training programs instruct bartenders, servers, convenience store clerks and home-party hosts on techniques to help prevent drunk driving and underage drinking.
  
• Reaching Sports Fans: Budweiser's "Good Sport" program is activated in partnership with some 100 teams in Major League Baseball, the National Football League, National Basketball Association, National Hockey League and Major League Soccer to help encourage fan responsibility at sporting events.
  
• Reaching Students: Presentations by Anheuser-Busch's Speakers Bureau deliver messages of responsibility and respect for the law. More than 219,000 students attended the presentations in 2010 and more than 3.5 million students have been reached since 1998.

Anheuser-Busch, in partnership with a nationwide network of 600 wholesalers, has committed more than $850 million in national advertising campaigns and community-based programs in the last three decades to encourage responsible drinking as well as prevent underage drinking and drunk driving. More information about the programs is available at www.beeresponsible.com.

Anheuser-Busch

Anheuser-Busch

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