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The Century Council
The Century Council is a Virginia-based American not-for-profit organization founded in 1991 and funded by a group of distillers that aims to fight to eliminate drunk driving and underage drinking and promotes responsible decision-making regarding alcohol use.
The Arlington, Virginia-based organization is chaired by former New York Congresswoman Susan Molinari, and an independent national advisory board with members in the realm of education, medicine, government, business, and other relevant disciplines assists in the development of programs and policies. Member companies include Bacardi, Brown-Forman, Constellation Brands, DIAGEO, Future Brands, Hood River Distillers and Sidney Frank Importing Company.
Programs, initiatives and campaigns
The Century Council works with law enforcement, public officials, educators, parents and students to create programs aimed at reducing the incidents of drunk driving and underage drinking:
- Alcohol 101 Plus is an interactive online program which aims to help students make safe and responsible decisions about alcohol on college campuses.
- Ask, Listen, Learn: Kids and Alcohol Don't Mix (developed with Nickelodeon) encourages parents to create an ongoing dialogue about the dangers of alcohol with their kids.
- B4UDrink Educator aims to educate adults about the influence of alcohol on an individual's Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) level.
- Cops in Shops aims to deter youth under 21 from attempting to purchase alcohol and adults that purchase alcohol for minors.<ref>Asbury Park Press, 6/25/08, "Officials focus on underage drinking"</ref> <ref>Courier-Post, 6/25/08, 'Cops in Shops' targets underage shore drinkers</ref> <ref>New Jersey Record, 6/24/08, "Cops target booze-buying for kids"</ref>
- Girl Talk: Choices and Consequences of Underage Drinking attempts to encourage mothers and daughters to communicate about the dangers of underage drinking and the specific risks facing teenage girls. <ref>The Atlantic Coast Conference. Mia Hamm Elected to Soccer Hall of Fame</ref> <ref>Society for Women's Health Research. New Survey Reveals Alarming Data on Moms, Daughters and Underage Drinking, Women's Health Research</ref>
- National Hardcore Drunk Driving Project provides a comprehensive resource for state legislators, local policy makers, highway safety officials, law enforcement officers, judges, prosecutors, community advocates, and treatment professionals to effectively deal with hardcore drunk drivers.
- We Don't Serve Teens (developed with The Federal Trade Commission) is a public awareness campaign designed to prevent underage drinking by informing adults that providing underage drinkers with alcohol is unsafe, illegal and irresponsible. <ref>Nixon, FTC and The Century Council team up for national "We Don't Serve Teens" Week</ref>
In 2008-2009, The Century Council sponsored the National Student Advertising Competition held by the American Advertising Federation. Over 140 college teams from across the country competed to create a campaign aimed at reducing binge drinking among college students. The winning campaign was from Syracuse University.<ref>[http://www.centurycouncil.org/content/syracuse-university-winner-2009-national-student-advertising-competition Syracuse University is the winner of the 2009 National Student Advertising Competition</ref>
Relationship with MADD
Until recently, the Century Council was a partner in Mothers Against Drunk Driving's Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving. However, in June 2009, MADD severed all ties with the Century Council due to the latter's opposition to mandatory ignition interlocks for first offenders.<ref>http://www.jointogether.org/news/headlines/inthenews/2009/madd-century-council-split.html</ref>
