About Us
Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano and the Arizona Underage Drinking Prevention Committee are asking you to “draw your line” and help reduce underage alcohol use in Arizona.
Our efforts are designed to inform adults in Arizona that underage drinking is not a rite of passage, is unhealthy for children, and is against the law. It is important for adults to realize the influence they have on children’s behavior. This campaign provides useful tools and resources to help adults positively influence our kids.
Our central campaign mission is to generate community involvement and conversation by making interactive tools and resources available throughout the state. The purpose is to go beyond merely informing the public about the risks of underage drinking, and alter the perceptions and behavior of the target audience – parents and adults ages 25-54.
About the Underage Drinking Prevention Committee
Comprised of members from state agencies and grassroots organizations—each impacted by the prevalence of underage alcohol use and permissive adult attitudes regarding underage alcohol consumption. Members include:
- Arizona Parent's Commission for Drug Education and Prevention
- Arizona Administrative Office of the Courts
- Arizona Criminal Justice Commission
- Arizona Institute for Higher Education Network
- Department of Education
- Department of Health Services
- Division of Public Health Services
- Division of Behavioral Health
- Department of Juvenile Corrections
- Department of Liquor License and Control
- Department of Public Safety
- Governor’s Office for Children, Youth and Families
- Division for Substance Abuse Policy
- Division for Children
- Division for Community and Youth Development
- Governor’s Office of Highway Safety
- Governor’s Youth Commission
- Luke Air Force Base
- Mothers Against Drunk Driving
- Navajo Nation
- Office of the Attorney General
- Phoenix Police Department, Youth Alcohol Squad
- Students Against Destructive Decisions
How Arizona’s Effort Began
In 2005, a team of state agency directors, deputy directors and policy experts from Arizona attended Preventing Underage Alcohol Use: A National Meeting of the States in Washington, D.C. It was at this meeting that U.S. Surgeon General Richard H. Carmona announced he would issue a “Call to Action” to all states regarding underage drinking. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt added to this by formally charging states to convert words into action and commit to organizing efforts that would address underage drinking.
When the Arizona team returned home, they formalized themselves as a committee under the Arizona Substance Abuse Partnership. The goal of the Arizona Underage Drinking Prevention Committee is to facilitate collaboration among state agencies and other partners to successfully implement a statewide underage drinking initiative.
The Governor recognized the severity of underage drinking in Arizona and called upon the Arizona Underage Drinking Prevention Committee, to develop a community-based campaign to directly address the issue. After months of brainstorming and collaboration with the Arizona Underage Drinking Prevention Committee, it was determined that it would be beneficial to enlist the talents of a marketing agency. The creative ideas of R&R Partners — a full-service advertising and public relations agency in Scottsdale — won the bid for the campaign. “Draw the Line” was born. Funding for Draw the Line is provided by the Arizona Parent’s Commission on Drug Education and Prevention.