USA: 98% of American adults who drink do so responsibly

A new survey by Harris Interactive® on behalf of Anheuser-Busch, reveals that 98 percent of Americans who drink—168 million adults—say they drink responsibly and in moderation, according to Anheuser-Busch’s press release, June 28.

“The days of ‘one for the road,’ or laughing at the guy with the lamp shade on his head are as out of step as pay phones and snail mail,” says John Kaestner, vice president of Consumer Affairs for Anheuser-Busch Cos. “Today, being responsible when you drink and using a designated driver are as much a part of mainstream society as text messaging and email.”

Following a few simple tips can help everyone stay safe over the Fourth of July holiday:
Designate a Driver or Skipper. Whether you’re on the road or on the water, use a designated driver or skipper when out with friends and family. Just as designated drivers help save lives on our highways, designated skippers help keep our waterways safe. You’ll also be in the company of the more than 42 million boaters who have been or used a designated skipper, and 148 million American adults that have been or used a designated driver.

Be a Responsible Host. Offer non-alcohol beverages for guests who do not drink or wish to alternate alcohol and non-alcohol beverages and others who are designated drivers and skippers. Always serve food when serving alcohol beverages, and stop serving alcohol beverages at least one hour before the party ends. Finally, arrange safe rides home for all guests.
Drive Safely. Make sure everyone wears a seat belt. Always be alert and in control of your vehicle. Resist the urge to speed by making sure there’s plenty of time to reach your destination.
Be Responsible on the Water. Before hitting the water, check all equipment and brush up on boating safety. When on the water, always obey all rules and regulations regarding distance, buoys, channel markers and no-wake zones. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, since 1982, drunk-driving fatalities have dropped 39 percent overall and 31 percent during the Fourth of July holiday period. In addition, the U.S. Coast Guard reports that alcohol-related boating fatalities have decreased 22 percent since 2002.

Anheuser-Busch is the global industry leader in promoting responsibility, with ads dating back to the early 1900s that carried the tagline “Budweiser Means Moderation.” Since 1982, the company and its 600 wholesalers nationwide have invested more than $675 million in alcohol awareness and education programs and partnerships. In 2007, for the fourth year in a row, the company ranked first in the beverage industry for social responsibility in FORTUNE magazine’s “America’s Most Admired Companies” and “Global Most Admired Companies.” More information about Anheuser-Busch’s responsibility efforts is available at www.beeresponsible.com. Full survey results are available at www.alcoholstats.com.

Methodology

This survey was conducted online by Harris Interactive via its QuickQuerySM online omnibus service on behalf of Anheuser-Busch between May 4-6, 2007 among 1,950 U.S. adults aged 21 and over. Figures for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, region and household income were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. Propensity score weighting was also used to adjust for respondents’ propensity to be online. With a pure probability sample of 1,950 one could say with a ninety-five percent probability that the overall results would have a sampling error of +/- 3 percentage points. Sampling error for data based on sub-samples would be higher and would vary. However, that does not take other sources of error into account. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no theoretical sampling error can be calculated.

About Harris Interactive

Harris Interactive is the 12th largest and fastest-growing market research firm in the world. The company provides innovative research, insights and strategic advice to help its clients make more confident decisions which lead to measurable and enduring improvements in performance. Harris Interactive is widely known for The Harris Poll, one of the longest running, independent opinion polls and for pioneering online market research methods. The company has built what it believes to be the world’s largest panel of survey respondents, the Harris Poll Online. Harris Interactive serves clients worldwide through its United States, Europe and Asia offices, its wholly-owned subsidiaries Novatris in France and MediaTransfer AG in Germany, and through a global network of independent market research firms.

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