THOMAS Shieh’s attempt to convince the public that passage of the Sober Truth on Preventing Underage Drinking, or S.T.O.P., Act supports a minimum drinking age of 21 is misleading (Marianas Variety “National bill on drinking age signed into law,” Jan. 4, 2007). The S.T.O.P. Act is not about “setting the national legal age” or even about the age of 21. Rather, this law looks at ways to prevent underage drinking and to enforce the current minimum drinking age.
The new law authorizes the federal government to coordinate community-based education and awareness programs to fight underage drinking. This includes programs that assist law enforcement officials in enforcing existing underage-drinking laws, help retailers check I.D.s and encourage server-training programs. The law also encourages states to have appropriate penalties in place for parents, adults and retailers who illegally provide alcohol to minors, as well as for minors caught possessing alcohol — all of which are good examples of the types of programs Anheuser-Busch and the Responsible Choices for All Adults Coalition support.
It is clear that Shieh will use any data, even if it is misleading, to support his failed argument that a drinking age of 21 will help reduce underage drinking.
Anheuser-Busch, along with many other industry groups, including The Beer Institute and the National Beer Wholesalers Association, worked closely with the sponsoring legislators to support the S.T.O.P. Act. We commend Congress and the president for their support of this important underage-drinking prevention legislation. We and our local wholesaler, Ambros Inc., look forward to continuing to work with our community to continue implementing the grassroots programs outlined in the S.T.O.P. Act that are already making a difference in reducing underage drinking on Guam.

J. LEE BABB
Asia Pacific Region Manager
Anheuser-Busch International, Inc.