Promoting Responsibility


South Carolina’s beer wholesaling industry cares deeply how their businesses affect the communities they serve. They play a critical role in educating the public about the problems of drunk driving, alcohol abuse and illegal underage purchase and consumption. In fact, no industry has done more to prevent abuse of its products than the beer industry.

Beer wholesalers play a vital role in their communities by sponsoring a wide array of programs that promote responsible consumption. The programs range from providing free taxi rides home for restaurant and bar patrons who do not have a designated driver to providing educational materials to help parents talk to their children about illegal, underage drinking.

Wholesalers also promote alcohol education initiatives that bring guest speakers into local schools, colleges and community centers – guest speakers who have made mistakes about alcohol, but have lived to retell their stories and encourage others not to make the same mistakes.

South Carolina’s Beer Wholesalers are working with their brewer partners to help ensure that the products they provide are consumed moderately and responsibly, only by those of legal drinking age. Educating the public in areas of alcohol safety is a responsibility that the South Carolina Beer Wholesalers Association takes very seriously. Our local family businesses share a common goal to promote responsibility and safety in the communities where our families live, work and play.

Public Service Announcements
University of South Carolina Head Football Coach Steve Spurrier recently teamed with the South Carolina Beer Wholesalers Association to record a radio public service announcement encouraging Gamecock fans of legal drinking age to drink responsibly.
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Superintendent of Education Jim Rex also teamed up with SCBWA to record a PSA to remind teenagers the dangers of underage drinking.
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The spots are part of an ongoing alcohol awareness campaign by SCBWA

Building Families – Ours and Our Neighbors’
Families play an important role at South Carolina’s beer wholesalers. Not only are most wholesalers family-owned, but many have long-time employees whose families grow up together. It’s natural, then for beer wholesalers to spend substantial time and money supporting appropriate messages to their community’s youth.

Among the many efforts we make:

• Encourage and assist family discussions – Wholesalers distribute at no charge “Family Talk,” “Let’s Talk” and other similar brochures encouraging frank talk between parents and children about the risks and responsibilities of alcohol.

• Speaker’s Bureau – Nationally recognized speakers, brought in at wholesaler expense, address high schools and colleges from Myrtle Beach to Greenville, making connections with youth to discourage consumption before age 21.

• “We ID” signage and literature – Retailers use wholesaler-provided signage to reinforce their commitment to prevent underage drinking.

• Drivers License Books – Hundreds of books with pictures of all states’ drivers licenses are distributed by wholesalers to help retailers prevent the use of illegal and fake drivers licenses.to buy beer.

• Public service announcements – Billboards and newspaper, radio and television ads all support our industry’s campaign to support the legal drinking age.

And it’s working:

• 53% of 18-25 year-old South Carolinians do not drink and 85% of 12-17 year-olds. U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services.

• Total fatalities in teen drunk driving crashes are down 31% 1990 through 2002 in South Carolina. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report.

• 7.4% statewide decrease in alcohol -elated traffic fatalities among 16-20 year olds from 2001 to 2002. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report.