Underage drinking prevention effort in Utah falls short

A multimillion-dollar underage drinking prevention campaign isn't working as expected, according to an audit released this week by the Office of the State Auditor.

Context: Parents Empowered, which was established in 2005, sought to have every Utah child reach the age of 21 before drinking alcohol.

• The campaign provided resources to teach parents how to talk to their children about the tolls and health impacts of underage drinking.
• It has also featured ads to curb underage drinking among teens that mirror anti-drug commercials seen in the 1980s.

By the numbers: Between 2005 and 2019, the drinking rate among children in Utah decreased by about 4%, according to the state's analysis of CDC data.

• That's a slower decline when compared with the 14% decrease seen on a national level during that time period.
• Flashback: Before 2005, Utah's underage drinking rates were decreasing faster than the national rate.

What they said: "The rate of underage drinking has declined in Utah, but nationwide, those rates … also declined," said Bertha Lui, a state financial audit director.

• She presented her findings at a Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Services meeting Tuesday, and said they were "unable to conclude the campaign drove the change in Utah."

Show me the money: The state-funded effort cost around $2.5 million a year since 2018.

• Of note: During FY 2006, it cost the state $1.9 million.
• While the increase is sizeable, DABS officials said the budget has kept up with inflation.

Yes, but: The state auditor's office found that more spending did not translate to a greater reduction in underage drinking.

What's next: Tiffany Clason, executive director of the DABS, said the group will continue to search for better metrics to evaluate the efficacy of the campaign.