Educate | Empower | Mobilize: A Town Hall Meeting on Underage Drinking in Whatcom County, Washington

INTRODUCTION

After the new Washington State law privatizing the sale of spirits went into effect in January 2014, the number of spirits retailers statewide increased from 330 to 1,414. At the same time, the Campus Community Coalition in Bellingham, home of Western Washington University and three other colleges, was concerned that all the attention on the recent legalization of marijuana was overshadowing the implications of the fourfold increase in the community’s access to liquor. The dramatic increase in liquor outlets prompted the coalition to partner with the Whatcom County Health Department, Whatcom Prevention Coalition, and Western Washington University’s Prevention and Wellness Services to sponsor a Town Hall Meeting for a community conversation on underage drinking and the impacts of liquor privatization in Whatcom County.

EVENT DESCRIPTION

The goal of the Town Hall Meeting was to address some of the environmental attributes that affect underage alcohol use in Whatcom County. Ann Russell, coordinator of the Campus Community Coalition, pointed to numerous efforts to attract attendees. “To promote the THM [Town Hall Meeting], we sent posters to almost every department on campus, both electronically and physically. We promoted heavily through social media, even creating a Facebook event page. We sent press releases to the student newspapers as well as the Bellingham Herald, our local larger newspaper, and the Cascadia Weekly,” Russell said.

Event highlights included the following:

• Research scientist Julia Dilley led a discussion on the state and local impacts of liquor privatization. The coalition provided her with National College Health Assessment data from Western and the community college, as well as local Healthy Youth Survey data. She showed state and local use side by side and the impact of privatization in order to help participants see the big picture of the changes and prepare them for the likelihood of increased youth access to alcohol and declining perceptions of harm.
• Joe Fuller, of the Whatcom County Health Department, spoke about the effect of perception on use, noting the gap between what students report about their alcohol use and what they think their peers are using, as well as adult misperceptions of student use.
• Squalicum High School students reinforced concerns raised by Dilley and Fuller by reporting the results of their survey of alcohol advertising and placement in seven local grocery and convenience stores. In one store, the students counted 41 alcohol advertisements.

MEASURES OF SUCCESS

Although the organizers did not conduct a formal evaluation, Russell believes that the event was successful. “One participant said, ‘I loved everything about the event, I’m involved in prevention efforts with youth, but I learned many things I hadn’t thought of before.’ We had a silent reflection after each presentation followed by small group work and a discussion during which participants shared some of their impressions. They talked about the statistics and the impacts of privatization,” said Russell. The evening also served to foster partnering among community groups with a shared interest in student health. Posting of selected slides from the Town Hall Meeting on the Campus Community Coalition website, including findings and recommendations from the student survey, continues to bring this information to additional members of the community.

NEXT STEPS

The four organizations that organized the Town Hall Meeting have agreed to continue meeting on a regular basis to share data and collaborate in developing a community message about promoting health for youth.

In addition, recommendations from the Squalicum High School students, based on their survey results, will be displayed on the Campus Community Coalition’s Facebook page. These include the following:

• Limit the type of alcohol advertisements in family-friendly stores and establishments;
• Encourage family-friendly stores to have better placement of alcohol and tobacco;
• Encourage retailers to find strategies to limit alcohol theft; and
• Limit the number of outdoor visible alcohol signs that could be seen by youth.

In response to these recommendations, the Whatcom Prevention Coalition and the Campus Community Coalition have talked with alcohol retailers about some of the impacts of privatization and how they can work collaboratively to support community members in making positive health choices.

For further information, contact:
Ann Russell
Ann.Russell@wwu.edu

Return to Success Stories