Thomas F. Babor, PhD, MPH, Department of Community Medicine and Health Care, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, 263 Farmington Avenue, Farmington, CT 06030-6325, 860-679-5482, babor@nso.uchc.edu

This session describes recent advances in research on malt liquor products from both epidemiological and prevention perspectives. The increased marketing of high alcohol content malt liquor products, including wine coolers and "alcopops," has been criticized because of their disproportionate use by young adults, women and minority populations. This session brings together five projects funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism to provide a comprehensive overview of malt liquor use and abuse in the United States. In the first paper, Thomas Greenfield describes the epidemiology of malt liquor consumption based on the Year 2000 U.S. National Alcohol Survey, showing that beer drinkers who select malt liquor are distinctive. In the second paper, Jason C. Bond describes research on attitudes towards intoxication among beer and malt liquor drinkers and explores the implications of the findings for prevention. In the third paper Clara Bradizza presents survey data showing that regular malt liquor drinkers frequently smoke cigarettes, consume alcohol and use illicit drugs, particularly marijuana, concluding that women and minorities may be particularly vulnerable to frequent use of malt liquor products. In the next presentation, Alfred Xuan will describe the results of a study evaluating the extent to which demographic (e.g., age, ethnicity) and personal (e.g., sensation seeking traits) vulnerability factors influence viewers' perceptions of alcohol advertisements. Finally, Thomas Babor will describe a new rating procedure designed to evaluate industry compliance with advertising codes intended to protect vulnerable populations from irresponsible advertising and marketing practices.

Learning Objectives:

• At the conclusion of this session participants should be more aware of the distribution and determinants of malt liquor products in the US and ways to provide better regulation of malt liquor advertising in both print and television media.

Keywords: Alcohol, Epidemiology

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.