American Beverage Institute

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The American Beverage Institute is a restaurant industry trade group which opposes the use of anti-drunk-driving checkpoints and other measures whose proponents claim reduce the incidence of drunk driving. They are actively involved in public relations campaigns supporting various interests of the restaurant industry, particularly with respect to alcohol consumption. It is based in Washington, D.C. and is managed by Berman and Company, a public relations firm owned by lobbyist Richard Berman.

The following is from their website:

"...some anti-alcohol activists are seeking increasingly harsh restrictions on social drinkers. This can be evidenced in the transition from the common sense "Don't drive drunk" message to the similar-sounding but entirely different "Don't drink and drive" slogan. The American Beverage Institute is correcting this prohibitive message with a more appropriate message: Drink Responsibly. Drive Responsibly."

The group sometimes sends letters or columns to newspapers arguing that laws that have been adopted to fight drunk driving are ineffective or inappropriate.^[1]

[edit] References

• Siceloff, Bruce (4 July 2006). "Road Worrier column: 'Booze It and Lose It' campaign seeks safer roads". The News & Observer, Raleigh, N.C.. http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-16543763_ITM. Retrieved on 2008-07-22. 
• "American Beverage Institute names Shlemon prexy. (Steven T. Shlemon appointed)". Nation's Restaurant News. 17 April 2006. http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-14950288_ITM. Retrieved on 2008-07-22. 

Mayer, Caroline E.; Amy Joyce (April 27, 2005). "The Escalating Obesity Wars. Nonprofit's Tactics, Funding Sources Spark Controversy". Washington Post: p. Page E01. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/04/26/AR2005042601259.html. Retrieved on 2008-07-22. 

• "Oregon right to get tougher on drivers who are drunk. The pain of losing a child in an accident is not diminished because the drunken driver is a first-time offender. Drunken driving must be stopped before it occurs.". Walla Walla Union-Bulletin. June 7, 2007. http://www.union-bulletin.com/articles/2007/06/07/opinion/daily_editorial/edit01.txt. Retrieved on 2008-07-22. 

[edit] External links

• Official site