NCL to DOL: investigate allegations of child labor violations in Kosher slaughterhouse – National Consumers League

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June 4, 2008

Contact: 202-835-3323, media@nclnet.org

Washington, DC— The National Consumers League, the nation’s oldest consumer advocacy organization, has called on the Department of Labor to investigate alleged child labor violations at the Agriprocessors kosher slaughterhouse in Postville, Iowa, which was raided by federal immigration officers on May 12. The letter to Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao, written by NCL’s Reid Maki, Director of Social Responsibility and Fair Labor Standards and coordinator of the Child Labor Coalition, follows:

Dear Madame Secretary:

I am the coordinator of the Washington-based Child Labor Coalition, a coalition of 30 organizations that have coalesced to fight abusive child labor here and abroad. The coalition has been operated by the National Consumers League, the nation’s oldest consumer advocacy group, for the last 19 years.

It has come to our attention that children and teens were allegedly working in the Agriprocessors Pottsville, Iowa slaughterhouse raided by agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on May 12, 2008. According to the office of Senator Tom Harkin, some 18 children and teens are believed to have been employed in the plant when it was raided.

The members of the Child Labor Coalition are concerned about the presence of children working in slaughterhouses, which are known to be among the most dangerous workplaces in America. It is our understanding that the Pottsville plant has a long history of violating U.S. labor law. We urge your office to investigate fully the possibility that minors were employed in the Pottsville plant. We would hope that your office would confirm the extent of the child labor employment and determine the specific jobs the young workers were asked to perform. We believe the Department should assess the danger of those employment tasks and whether the youth were subjected to abusive treatment.

We are also concerned that the ICE raid appears not to have been coordinated with the Department of Labor. The ICE arrests and the movement of key witnesses may jeopardize the Department of Labor’s ability to fully and effectively investigate whether child labor was occurring at the plant. In our view, the question of whether undocumented workers are employed in a factory should never come in the way of the very serious possibility that plant owners may be violating child labor laws and risking the health of young workers.

We respectfully ask you to investigate the child labor allegations at the Agriprocessors plant and prosecute any violations of child labor law to the fullest extent possible. As the coordinator of the Child Labor Coalition, I would like to extend an invitation to you and your representatives to present the findings of your investigation to the members of the Coalition at an upcoming meeting. We would welcome the opportunity to meet with you in any event.

Sincerely,
Reid Maki
Coordinator, Child Labor Coalition
Director, Social Responsibility

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About the National Consumers League
Founded in 1899, the National Consumers League is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Its mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. NCL is a private, nonprofit membership organization. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

Knock-knock: don’t let deception in the door! – National Consumers League

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June 1, 2008

Contact: 202-835-3323, media@nclnet.org

Washington, DC – Products sold door-to-door range from household items to cosmetics. Some salespeople are honest, and others aren’t. June’s tips in the National Consumers League’s “2008 Consumer Calendar: Do We Have Tips for You!” help consumers avoid being scammed by dishonest salespeople.

NCL teaches consumers how to identify salespeople from ethical door-to-door sales companies. These salespeople will:

  • Identify themselves and the company’s products they represent by name. They should explain the purpose of their visit upfront and present proper identification.
  • Respect your wishes. It’s a sign of fraud if they try to pressure you into buying something on the spot or refuse to honor your request to end the sales presentation.
  • Not use misleading or deceptive tactics. Be wary of claims that: 
    • You’re the winner of a contest you never actually entered.

    • Some of your money will go to charity if the salesperson doesn’t have any proof of a connection with a legitimate charitable organization.

    The nation’s oldest consumer advocacy organization, NCL works to educate people about how to make wise decisions in today’s marketplace. Each month, NCL’s Web site, www.nclnet.org, will feature the calendar and tips for the month. Covering a range of subjects from medication safety, to avoiding scams, the tips are sponsored by major companies, government agencies, and organizations. The June tips about legitimate salespeople were sponsored by The Southwestern Company.The print version of the calendar was distributed to consumers free of charge through agencies and organizations around the country. There are no printed copies of the calendar remaining.

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About the National Consumers League
Founded in 1899, the National Consumers League is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Its mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. NCL is a private, nonprofit membership organization. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

Job-hunting teens: Is this summer job right for you? – National Consumers League

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May 22, 2008

Contact: 202-835-3323, media@nclnet.org

Washington, D.C. – Responding to accounts of scams and crimes committed against consumers by traveling sales crews—and risks faced by crew members themselves—the National Consumers League and Direct Selling Education Foundation have teamed up to create educational materials to help consumers and teen workers distinguish reputable door-to-door sales and charitable sales from unethical companies. Opportunities with legitimate companies that follow a code of ethics, such as those provided by Direct Selling Association member companies, are a great way for many young workers to earn income. Unfortunately, as a sluggish economy strains the wallets of consumers, advocates caution teenagers in search of a summer job against accepting offers of employment by traveling sales crews.

“NCL’s long history of fighting for the rights of workers and consumers finds us fittingly warning both workers and consumers about traveling sales crews. Consumers certainly don’t want to buy products from exploited and often physically abused young workers, and those who do are unlikely to receive the very magazines they paid for from these disreputable outfits,” said Sally Greenberg, NCL Executive Director.

In two separate recent incidents, a 25-year-old magazine salesman was charged with raping a teenager in Durham, SC, and a 28-year-old magazine salesman pleaded guilty to kidnapping a 14-year-old boy on his way home from school with intent to sexually abuse him in Vista, CA.

Many dishonest companies capitalize on the positive reputations of established door-to-door sales companies and the generous response of consumers in supporting charities. Salespeople may seem charming and friendly, offering a compelling sales pitch, or requesting support for a program to help keep kids off drugs or to teach them about entrepreneurship. They may press residents to help them win a trip or prizes. These traveling sales crews quickly sweep in and out of neighborhoods. The companies recruit children, teenagers and young adults to sell products such as magazine subscriptions, cleaning supplies, and candy. They often falsely claim to support programs to help kids or raise money for charity, a religious institution, hospital, or local school.

NCL advises consumers to check that the company or charity is legitimate before responding to its sales pitch. A legitimate, ethical salesperson will:

  • have a solicitor’s permit, if one is required in the city. Most non-reputable companies do not possess a local permit to sell.
  • provide literature, which displays the company or charity’s street address and other contact information.
  • present identification that shows he or she is affiliated with or a representative of the company, charity, or school
  • be happy to set an appointment for another time to discuss their product, which will give the consumer time to research the company or charity by contacting your Better Business Bureau or Attorney General’s office to see if there are complaints against the company/charity.

NCL offers these tips and more in two new brochures (Door-to-door safety for consumers, and Is this job right for you? for teens) produced through an unrestricted educational grant from the Direct Selling Education Foundation, to help consumers and potential workers distinguish between a legitimate company and the scams of a traveling sales crew here. Consumers can request individual copies of the new brochures at https://www.dsef.org/ContactUs/

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About the National Consumers League

Founded in 1899, the National Consumers League is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Its mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. NCL is a private, nonprofit membership organization. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

Sally Greenberg selected for FDA Risk Communication Advisory Committee – National Consumers League

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May 19, 2008

Contact: 202-835-3323, media@nclnet.org

Washington, DC — Sally Greenberg, Executive Director of the National Consumers League, has been appointed to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Risk Communication Advisory Committee.

“I am honored to join this Advisory committee, which was mandated by Congress, and look forward to further working with this prestigious group of experts to advocate for a robust system of information and proper warnings on drugs. I am especially interested in the Committee’s work on getting critical risk information to special populations of consumers who might not have access because of age, language barriers, low literacy or disability. The bottom line is that consumers need and want to know about the risks and benefits of the drugs they are taking and the medical devices they are using,” Greenberg said. “We hope to enhance consumers’ ability to get access to and understand this information.”

The committee’s 15 members are charged with advising FDA on communicating the risks and benefits of FDA-regulated products to the public, in order to enhance consumers’ use of these products. Greenberg joins the committee of independent experts and public members, who have backgrounds in areas including: risk communication, health literacy, behavioral and social sciences, as well as consumers, patients, caregivers, and health care providers’ rights.

“The National Consumers League has long advocated for consumer safety in the use of both over-the-counter and prescription drugs,” said Greenberg. “I commend FDA for its rapid response to this Congressional mandate, which the NCL believes will play a critical role in shaping the debate as we review and recommend effective methods for communicating with and educating consumers on the safety and effectiveness of the drugs and products they use.”

The National Consumers League provides consumers with resources on affordable health care, direct to consumer advertising of prescription drugs, and tips on communicating effectively with their health care providers. The League staffs and runs the SOS Rx Coalition, which is committed to ensuring outpatients’ safe usage of medications.

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About the National Consumers League
Founded in 1899, the National Consumers League is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Its mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. NCL is a private, nonprofit membership organization. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

Don’t fall for the pitch! Avoid investment scams – National Consumers League

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May 1, 2008

Contact: 202-835-3323, media@nclnet.org

Washington, DC – Free seminars are a popular way to promote investment and insurance products. After the meal, the so-called “experts” urge folks to trade in their current investments for the product being pitched. Testimonials are glowing; the charts and handouts are impressive. But don’t fall for the pitch! This month, the National Consumers League is helping consumers differentiate between legitimate and fraudulent offers of investment opportunities this month in the National Consumers League’s “2008 Consumer Calendar: Do We Have Tips for You!”

NCL offers a listing of red-flag pitches that should cause a consumer to take the money and run from the seminar, including:

  • “Your profit is guaranteed!”
  • “Your money is always 100% available!”
  • “This offer is only available today!”

The nation’s oldest consumer advocacy organization, NCL works to educate people about how to make wise decisions in today’s marketplace. Each month, NCL’s Web site, www.nclnet.org, will feature the calendar and tips for the month. Covering a range of subjects from medication safety, to avoiding scams, the tips are sponsored by major companies, government agencies, and organizations. The May tips about debit cards were sponsored by AARP.

The print version of the calendar was distributed to consumers free of charge through agencies and organizations around the country. There are no printed copies of the calendar remaining.

###

About the National Consumers League
Founded in 1899, the National Consumers League is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Its mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. NCL is a private, nonprofit membership organization. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

Don’t fall for the pitch! Avoid investment scams – National Consumers League

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May 1, 2008

Contact: 202-835-3323, media@nclnet.org

Washington, DC – Free seminars are a popular way to promote investment and insurance products. After the meal, the so-called “experts” urge folks to trade in their current investments for the product being pitched. Testimonials are glowing; the charts and handouts are impressive. But don’t fall for the pitch! This month, the National Consumers League is helping consumers differentiate between legitimate and fraudulent offers of investment opportunities this month in the National Consumers League’s “2008 Consumer Calendar: Do We Have Tips for You!”

NCL offers a listing of red-flag pitches that should cause a consumer to take the money and run from the seminar, including:

  • “Your profit is guaranteed!”
  • “Your money is always 100% available!”
  • “This offer is only available today!”

The nation’s oldest consumer advocacy organization, NCL works to educate people about how to make wise decisions in today’s marketplace. Each month, NCL’s Web site, www.nclnet.org, will feature the calendar and tips for the month. Covering a range of subjects from medication safety, to avoiding scams, the tips are sponsored by major companies, government agencies, and organizations. The May tips about debit cards were sponsored by AARP.

The print version of the calendar was distributed to consumers free of charge through agencies and organizations around the country. There are no printed copies of the calendar remaining.

###

About the National Consumers League
Founded in 1899, the National Consumers League is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Its mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. NCL is a private, nonprofit membership organization. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

Groups unite in pressing for a standardized, useful Alcohol Facts label – National Consumers League

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April 22, 2008

White paper and ad campaign put issue in front of policymakers; new poll finds consumers want government to act

Contact: 202-835-3323, media@nclnet.org

Washington, DC– A coalition of public interest groups today called for the federal government to end 30 years of “deliberations and fact finding” by issuing a useful final regulation to require standardized labeling information on beer, wine and distilled spirits products.

At a news conference in Washington, members of a broad-based coalition of public health leaders and consumer advocacy organizations used the occasion of Alcohol Awareness Month to release a white paper laying out the need for an easy-to-read, standardized label that will provide consumers with complete information about alcohol and calorie content per serving. Issued as a nationwide call to action, the white paper concludes that easily accessible alcohol labeling can play an important role in reducing alcohol abuse, drunk driving, and the many diseases attributable to excessive alcohol intake, such as liver cirrhosis and cancers of the upper gastrointestinal tract.

To highlight this issue for federal policymakers, Shape Up America! — the anti-obesity crusade launched by former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop — also unveiled a newspaper advertising campaign featuring an open letter to Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson signed by 18 organizations and public health officials. The open letter cites more than 30 years of delay by Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) and its predecessor agency, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (BATF), in responding to public pressure, several petitions, and court challenges, none of which has produced a government rule requiring an easy-to-read, standardized label on all alcoholic beverages.

“Today, even the most basic information about alcohol beverages is not provided on the labels of most alcohol beverage products,” said Sally Greenberg, Executive Director of the National Consumers League. “We are urging TTB to get it right by issuing a consumer friendly final regulation that will provide the same helpful and easily accessible labeling information on alcoholic beverages that is now required for conventional foods, dietary supplements, and nonprescription drugs.”

TTB’s most recent action occurred in 2007 when the agency proposed a mandatory “Serving Facts” panel on beer, wine and distilled spirits but left out the requirement that manufacturers list information about the alcohol content per standard serving. This resulted in a barrage of letters from consumers and public health leaders, all calling for complete information on the label.

Now that TTB has heard from the public and other stakeholders, the open letter ad declares it is time for Secretary Paulson and the TTB to “do the right thing” by mandating a standardized alcohol label with information about the alcohol content, the amount of alcohol per serving, the definition of a standard drink, the number of calories and facts about other ingredients. The ad states, “Anything short of mandating this basic information would be a failure of the regulatory process.”

Along with Shape Up America!, 17 prominent national public health, nutrition and consumers organizations and officials signed onto the ad and support this message: American Council on Science and Health, American Institute for Cancer Research, American Public Health Association, American Society for Nutrition, American Society of Addiction Medicine, Black Women’s Health Imperative, Consumer Federation of America, Maryland Consumer Rights Coalition, National Association of Local Boards of Health, National Consumers League, National Research Center for Women & Families, Virginia Citizens Consumer Council, George Blackburn MD, PhD; Associate Director of Nutrition, Division of Nutrition, David L. Katz, MD, MPH, FACPM, FACP; Director, Prevention Research Center, Yale University School of Medicine, C. Everett Koop, MD, ScD; Senior Scholar, C. Everett Koop Institute at Dartmouth College and U.S. Surgeon General 1981-1989, Peter Rostenberg, MD, FASAM; Private Practice, Internal Medicine and Addiction Medicine and Attending Physician, Danbury Hospital Department of Medicine and  Judith S. Stern, ScD; Professor, University of California at Davis.

“It’s time to give consumers complete and detailed information about the alcohol and calorie content per serving in all beverage alcohol products so they can make informed and responsible purchasing and consumption decisions,” said Barbara J. Moore, Ph.D., president of Shape Up America!, “Anything less is a setback for public health.”

Reinforcing these views, National Consumers League and Shape Up America! released the findings of a new opinion poll, providing further evidence that the public believes government policy must change. Conducted by Opinion Research Corporation, the poll surveyed 1,003 adult Americans aged 21 and over from April 11-14, 2008 to identify the information consumers consider most important on an alcohol label. The top priority cited by more than three in four respondents (77 percent) is listing the alcohol content followed by the amount of alcohol per serving (73 percent) and the calories in each serving (65 percent). Of less importance but considered valuable information is the following: the number of servings in the bottle or can (57 percent), the carbohydrates in each serving (57 percent), the amount of fat in each serving (52 percent), and the protein in each serving (46 percent). When asked about TTB’s proposal that fails to require information on the amount of alcohol in a serving on the label, even more consumers — 74 percent — said this information should be mandatory.

The new poll also validates the usefulness of alcohol labels to educate consumers about following the Dietary Guidelines’ advice on moderate drinking, which is defined as up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks a day for men. When asked if Americans should follow this advice, seven in ten respondents (71 percent) agreed and almost six in ten (58 percent) said they would use the alcohol label for this purpose. These findings reinforce a previous online survey conducted for Shape Up America! in December 2007, which reported that 79 percent of consumers would support alcohol labeling that summarizes the Dietary Guidelines’ advice.

“Those consumers who choose to drink absolutely need alcohol and calorie information per serving to help them comply with recommendations in the Dietary Guidelines,” said Chris Waldrop, Director of the Food Policy Institute at the Consumer Federation of America.  “Without it, alcohol consumers continue to be left in the dark.”

The online survey also asked respondents to review three alternative labels that could be placed on alcohol beverage containers, giving TTB a better idea of what information consumers find most useful. When asked to compare the different options, the results were dramatic: the vast majority (76 percent) opted for a label that combines the information required under TTB’s proposed rulemaking (the amount of calories, carbohydrates, fat and protein) with the amount of alcohol per serving and the statement “a standard drink contains 0.6 fluid ounces of alcohol.” In contrast, only 7 percent chose the format proposed under TTB’s rulemaking.

Besides the general public, the coalition’s white paper summarized the views of leading public health and nutrition experts, who submitted comments to TTB about the health justifications for issuing a useful rule on alcohol beverage labeling.  A review of the estimated 18,000 comments that TTB received in 2005 indicates that 96 percent supported giving consumers access to standardized and complete labeling information on beer, wine and distilled spirits.

This issue has a long history. In 1972, consumer organizations asked the federal government to require meaningful alcohol labeling. In  2003, the National Consumers League joined with the Center for Science in the Public Interest and 75 other public health and consumer organizations to submit a formal petition to TTB. This resulted in the agency issuing an “advanced notice of proposed rulemaking” in April 2005, followed by a “proposed rule” in 2007. That proposed rule, consumer advocates and public health leaders believe, leaves a huge gap in the basic nutritional facts consumers want and need when they consume alcohol.

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About the National Consumers League
Founded in 1899, the National Consumers League is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Its mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. NCL is a private, nonprofit membership organization. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

Statement of NCL’s Sally Greenberg on alcohol labeling – National Consumers League

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April 22, 2008

Good morning and thank you for coming. I am Sally Greenberg, the Executive Director of the National Consumers League based in Washington, DC. Joining me today is a panel of consumer leaders, public health officials and experts in alcohol issues. We will briefly summarize our positions and then be available for questions.

For the consumer community, the fight for a useful alcohol label is like the movie “Groundhog Day.” For more than 30 years, consumer groups have petitioned the government, filed lawsuits and testified on Capitol Hill. And for more than 30 years, nothing has changed. The federal agency responsible — the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau or TTB and its predecessor agency — has spent 30 years trying to decide if alcohol labeling – disclosing important information for consumers — is really necessary.

Let’s talk about what can be accomplished in less than 30 years when there is the will to make meaningful change:

  • It took only eight years from when President Kennedy declared the goal of landing a man on the moon to when Neil Armstrong took his first step in July 1969.
  • It took 17 years to conduct the research that lead to the first polio vaccine.
  • And it took 28 years from the laying of the first brick of the Berlin Wall in 1961 to when it began to come down in 1989.

If these feats can be accomplished in less than 30 years, why are we still fighting for a standardized alcohol label? On behalf of the nation’s public health and nutrition organizations, consumer advocates, leading public health officials and consumers themselves, we say it is time for TTB to issue a useful final regulation requiring alcohol labeling. And by “useful,” we mean the same kind of standardized labeling information on beer, wine and distilled spirits products that is now required for conventional foods, dietary supplements, and nonprescription drugs.

In 2005, we thought we were close. TTB had issued a request for public comments and received over 18,000 letters. The vast majority of these comments supported a standardized label listing the number of calories and the amount of alcohol per serving as well as standard drink information.

But, by 2007, we were back to Groundhog Day. TTB published a rule proposing to require a “Serving Facts” panel on beer, wine and distilled spirits. But TTB left out the most important information consumers need when consuming an alcoholic beverage — the amount of alcohol in a serving. This omission resulted in another barrage of letters from consumers and public health leaders, all calling for complete information on the label.

Now that TTB has heard all the arguments, we are here to urge TTB to get it right by mandating a standardized alcohol label that tells Americans what they need to know — the alcohol content, the amount of alcohol in a serving, the definition of a standard drink, the number of calories and facts about other ingredients.

Towards this end, today, we are issuing a new report laying out the need for a standardized and complete alcohol label. Based on a review going back to 1977, this report makes a compelling case that over-consumption of alcohol remains a serious problem. And part of the solution to reducing alcohol abuse, drunk driving, obesity, and the many diseases attributable to excessive alcohol intake is to give consumers an easy-to-read, uniform label with complete information about alcohol and calorie content per serving.

In addition to this new report, we want TTB to hear from consumers themselves — which is why we have commissioned Opinion Research Corporation to survey 1,003 adult Americans aged 21 and over this month. Reinforcing the findings of numerous other polls conducted over the years, this poll shows consumers want government policy to change.

Moreover, this poll documents the kind of information Americans want on a standardized alcohol label. According to the ORC poll, first and foremost, consumers want alcohol labels to list the alcohol content and the amount of alcohol per serving.

Our new poll also validates the usefulness of alcohol labels to educate consumers about following the Dietary Guidelines’ advice on moderate drinking — which is defined as up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks a day for men. When asked if Americans should follow this advice, seven in ten respondents — 71 percent — agreed and almost six in ten — 58 percent — said they would use the alcohol label for this purpose. These findings reinforce a previous online survey conducted for Shape Up America! in December 2007, which reported that 79 percent of consumers would support alcohol labeling that summarizes the Dietary Guidelines’ advice.

With both the public health community and consumers demanding change, the question for TTB is not whether but when. The same nation that put a man on the moon and made it possible to tear down the Berlin Wall should be able to give its citizens useful labeling information on beer, wine and distilled spirits. As a matter of improved public health, this is the right thing to do.

To explain what information should be on this label and the health justifications, I would now like to introduce the other panelists here today:

  • First, you will hear from Chris Waldrop, Director of the Food Policy Institute at the Consumer Federation of America. Chris will outline what consumer organizations and the public health community believe are the essential components of an alcohol label;
  • Then, you will hear from J.T. Griffin, V.P. Public Policy, of Mothers Against Drunk Driving or MADD, who will summarize the views of those working to curb drunk driving and alcohol abuse.
  • After J.T., Dr. Winston Price, past President of the National Medical Association, will summarize the public health justification to better alcohol labeling.
  • And finally, Dr. Barbara Moore, president and CEO of Shape Up America!, will focus on the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and how a useful alcohol label can affect consumer change.

Please hold your questions until the panelists have presented their remarks and then we will be pleased to take your questions.

Consumer/health groups united in pressing for standardized, useful alcohol facts label – National Consumers League

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April 22, 2008

White Paper and Ad Campaign Put Issue in Front of Policymakers; New Poll Finds Consumers Want Government to Act

Sally Greenberg’s remarks

Contact: 202-835-3323, media@nclnet.org

Washington, D.C.– A coalition of public interest groups today called for the federal government to end 30 years of “deliberations and fact finding” by issuing a useful final regulation to require standardized labeling information on beer, wine and distilled spirits products.

At a news conference in Washington, members of a broad-based coalition of public health leaders and consumer advocacy organizations used the occasion of Alcohol Awareness Month to release a white paper laying out the need for an easy-to-read, standardized label that will provide consumers with complete information about alcohol and calorie content per serving. Issued as a nationwide call to action, the white paper concludes that easily accessible alcohol labeling can play an important role in reducing alcohol abuse, drunk driving, and the many diseases attributable to excessive alcohol intake, such as liver cirrhosis and cancers of the upper gastrointestinal tract.

To highlight this issue for federal policymakers, Shape Up America! — the anti-obesity crusade launched by former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop — also unveiled a newspaper advertising campaign featuring an open letter to Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson signed by 18 organizations and public health officials. The open letter cites more than 30 years of delay by Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) and its predecessor agency, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (BATF), in responding to public pressure, several petitions, and court challenges, none of which has produced a government rule requiring an easy-to-read, standardized label on all alcoholic beverages.

“Today, even the most basic information about alcohol beverages is not provided on the labels of most alcohol beverage products,” said Sally Greenberg, Executive Director of the National Consumers League. “We are urging TTB to get it right by issuing a consumer friendly final regulation that will provide the same helpful and easily accessible labeling information on alcoholic beverages that is now required for conventional foods, dietary supplements, and nonprescription drugs.”

TTB’s most recent action occurred in 2007 when the agency proposed a mandatory “Serving Facts” panel on beer, wine and distilled spirits but left out the requirement that manufacturers list information about the alcohol content per standard serving. This resulted in a barrage of letters from consumers and public health leaders, all calling for complete information on the label.

Now that TTB has heard from the public and other stakeholders, the open letter ad declares it is time for Secretary Paulson and the TTB to “do the right thing” by mandating a standardized alcohol label with information about the alcohol content, the amount of alcohol per serving, the definition of a standard drink, the number of calories and facts about other ingredients. The ad states, “Anything short of mandating this basic information would be a failure of the regulatory process.”

Along with Shape Up America!, 17 prominent national public health, nutrition and consumers organizations and officials signed onto the ad and support this message: American Council on Science and Health, American Institute for Cancer Research, American Public Health Association, American Society for Nutrition, American Society of Addiction Medicine, Black Women’s Health Imperative, Consumer Federation of America, Maryland Consumer Rights Coalition, National Association of Local Boards of Health, National Consumers League, National Research Center for Women & Families, Virginia Citizens Consumer Council, George Blackburn MD, PhD; Associate Director of Nutrition, Division of Nutrition, David L. Katz, MD, MPH, FACPM, FACP; Director, Prevention Research Center, Yale University School of Medicine, C. Everett Koop, MD, ScD; Senior Scholar, C. Everett Koop Institute at Dartmouth College and U.S. Surgeon General 1981-1989, Peter Rostenberg, MD, FASAM; Private Practice, Internal Medicine and Addiction Medicine and Attending Physician, Danbury Hospital Department of Medicine and Judith S. Stern, ScD; Professor, University of California at Davis.

“It’s time to give consumers complete and detailed information about the alcohol and calorie content per serving in all beverage alcohol products so they can make informed and responsible purchasing and consumption decisions,” said Barbara J. Moore, Ph.D., president of Shape Up America!, “Anything less is a setback for public health.”

Reinforcing these views, National Consumers League and Shape Up America! released the findings of a new opinion poll, providing further evidence that the public believes government policy must change. Conducted by Opinion Research Corporation, the poll surveyed 1,003 adult Americans aged 21 and over from April 11-14, 2008 to identify the information consumers consider most important on an alcohol label. The top priority cited by more than three in four respondents (77 percent) is listing the alcohol content followed by the amount of alcohol per serving (73 percent) and the calories in each serving (65 percent). Of less importance but considered valuable information is the following: the number of servings in the bottle or can (57 percent), the carbohydrates in each serving (57 percent), the amount of fat in each serving (52 percent), and the protein in each serving (46 percent). When asked about TTB’s proposal that fails to require information on the amount of alcohol in a serving on the label, even more consumers — 74 percent — said this information should be mandatory.

The new poll also validates the usefulness of alcohol labels to educate consumers about following the Dietary Guidelines’ advice on moderate drinking, which is defined as up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks a day for men. When asked if Americans should follow this advice, seven in ten respondents (71 percent) agreed and almost six in ten (58 percent) said they would use the alcohol label for this purpose. These findings reinforce a previous online survey conducted for Shape Up America! in December 2007, which reported that 79 percent of consumers would support alcohol labeling that summarizes the Dietary Guidelines’ advice.

“Those consumers who choose to drink absolutely need alcohol and calorie information per serving to help them comply with recommendations in the Dietary Guidelines,” said Chris Waldrop, Director of the Food Policy Institute at the Consumer Federation of America. “Without it, alcohol consumers continue to be left in the dark.”

The online survey also asked respondents to review three alternative labels that could be placed on alcohol beverage containers, giving TTB a better idea of what information consumers find most useful. When asked to compare the different options, the results were dramatic: the vast majority (76 percent) opted for a label that combines the information required under TTB’s proposed rulemaking (the amount of calories, carbohydrates, fat and protein) with the amount of alcohol per serving and the statement “a standard drink contains 0.6 fluid ounces of alcohol.” In contrast, only 7 percent chose the format proposed under TTB’s rulemaking.

Besides the general public, the coalition’s white paper summarized the views of leading public health and nutrition experts, who submitted comments to TTB about the health justifications for issuing a useful rule on alcohol beverage labeling. A review of the estimated 18,000 comments that TTB received in 2005 indicates that 96 percent supported giving consumers access to standardized and complete labeling information on beer, wine and distilled spirits.

This issue has a long history. In 1972, consumer organizations asked the federal government to require meaningful alcohol labeling. In 2003, the National Consumers League joined with the Center for Science in the Public Interest and 75 other public health and consumer organizations to submit a formal petition to TTB. This resulted in the agency issuing an “advanced notice of proposed rulemaking” in April 2005, followed by a “proposed rule” in 2007. That proposed rule, consumer advocates and public health leaders believe, leaves a huge gap in the basic nutritional facts consumers want and need when they consume alcohol.

Arizona declared 2008 national LifeSmarts champions in Minneapolis – National Consumers League

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April 21, 2008

Contact: 202-835-3323, media@nclnet.org

Washington, DC — The Arizona state LifeSmarts team from Flagstaff, coached by Jennifer Bearchell, has taken the 2008 National LifeSmarts title, defeating more than two dozen state champion teams from across the country in a double-elimination competition that wrapped up in Minneapolis, Minnesota last week. Bearchell’s team, the Flagstaff Home Educators, defeated the Illinois team from West Chicago Community High School in the grueling final match Tuesday morning, April 15th. The event was streamed live on USTelecom’s www.NextGenWeb.org Web site.

“Bankruptcy, the credit crunch, fraud, confusion over health care and medical information – these are just a few of the challenges facing American consumers today,” said Sally Greenberg, Executive Director of the National Consumers League, the nonprofit advocacy group that sponsors the national LifeSmarts program. “LifeSmarts students, and especially the 2008 champion team from Arizona, represent a new generation of young consumers who have tackled these tough issues and now have the tools they need to the smarts they need to thrive in this marketplace.”

LifeSmarts (www.lifesmarts.org) is an Internet-based competition that begins online, in the states, with high school students competing for a shot to represent their state at the national event. State programs are run by volunteer coordinators; Arizona’s State Coordinator is Tammy Miller, with the Office of the Attorney General. In the 2007-2008 competition, more than 20,000 teens answered 2.6 million consumer questions for a shot at nationals.

“We are so thrilled for our state champion team, the Flagstaff Home Educators,” said Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard. “Their hard work and dedication to becoming savvy consumers has paid off, and they will represent our state program with pride.”

For the last two years, the team from neighboring New Mexico’s Piedra Vista High School reigned as the National LifeSmarts Champions, but early in the first round of the competition, which ran April 12-14 in Minneapolis, the Arizona team defeated the returning champs, sending them to the consolation bracket. Arizona’s Flagstaff Home Educators fell in a later round to the team from Virginia, but it rebounded later to make it to the semi-finals. Arizona defeated a tough team from Rhode Island and, finally, New Hampshire, before competing in the final match.

“What an exciting weekend in Minneapolis,” said Coach Bearchell. “We are grateful for the support of parents, loved ones, and friends and, of course, to the Arizona Office of the Attorney General for bringing the LifeSmarts program to Arizona. The members of our team are sure walking on air, and we have such gratitude for this great opportunity. It was great fun to put all that consumer knowledge to work.”

Bearchell’s first place team members each received a variety of prizes, including an iPhone from AT&T, savings bonds, and gift cards to Best Buy and Staples. Coach Bearchell received a certificate good for a new set of Bridgestone tires. This is Bearchell’s 8th year of competing in LifeSmarts in Arizona, and her 8th trip to the National Championship.

At the end of the long weekend of competition and fun, NCL announced that St. Louis, MO, will be the destination for next year’s 2009 National LifeSmarts Championship. For more information, and to read about this year’s event, visit the LifeSmarts blog at: https://lifesmartsnationals.blogspot.com/

NCL thanks the generous contributions of its major sponsors, including the Verizon Foundation, American Century Investments, American Express Company, and others, as well as its Minnesota partner, the Better Business Bureau of Minnesota and North Dakota.

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About the National Consumers League

Founded in 1899, the National Consumers League is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Its mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. NCL is a private, nonprofit membership organization. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.