Michael McCarthy Contributing Columnist BOBBING for apples. Trick or treat. Little kids dressed up in scary costumes. The tradi- tional innocent image of Halloween as a kid’s celebration has been taken over in recent years by vandalism, adult costume parties, and now, as a new trend in advertising shows, “Youthbooze” marketing. - But a teen counter-initia- tive called Hands Off Halloween (HOH) proves sroots community action Fill carries punch. y With the witching hour upon us, alcohol advertising featuring jack-o-lanterns, black cats and other symbols that appeal to children have started to appear in conve- ‘ nience stores, groceries and family outlets across California, where advertising . agencies always like to test- market new trends. Can booze ads aimed directly at kids be far behind here in California North? _ Notif the kids at Hands Off Halloween have any say in the matter. The Boys and Girls Club of Sonoma, ifornia, members of HOH, marched into each store in their community and asked the manager not to dis- play the booze ads. In all 16 stores, the man- .' agers took down the signs . immediately, Citizen groups package! Enter when you hit the Show! § Family Cooking Demonstrations! cad Canadian Living Test Kitchen Sizzling Chrysier SportsFest 1 H Put your golf, hockey and tennis skills to the | test. You could even win a terrific Yonex tennis Cp LRYSIER CANADA | | uarantee ey Great Prizes - Pree Childcare (ane THE Ca nadi Parents & Kids Show Vancouver Trade and Convention Centre, November | - 2, 1997 Saturday: 10 AM -6 PM + Sunday 10AM ~5 PM For information: (604) 878-8388 all across the continent are now actively waging similar campaigns to block promo- tions that link alcohol adver- tising with kids’ holidays. Hands Off Halloween is a- citizen’s coalition formed three years ago by physicians, churches, and children’s advocates concerned about the effect of alcohol advertis- ing upon youth. They have their hands full. Beer industry officials claim alcohol advertising is aimed at adults and designed only to distinguish one brand from another. An American Beer Institute vice-president retorts: “We have no interest in co-opting Halloween and making it an adult holiday. It already is.” But opponents of Hallowcen-linked alcohol messages argue that alcohol abuse remains a serious prob- lem among young people. Recent polls show that mil- lions of kids stilf drink regu- larly and that nearly a third of ail deaths among young males aged 16 to 24 are a result of coho! abuse. te Poy e ' ~~ e < ee Q Meet Franklin the Turtle LIVE! Sing along with Ronald : McDonald & enjoy the : entertaining antics of the Great Canadian Hot Dogs! an Living help counter Locally, Mothers Against Drinking Drivers are up in arms over the trend towards marketing youth holidays as drinking events. Vancouver- area MADD president Hugh Annll is upset. “You can’t stop liquor advertising, but you can mod- ify it. Christmas and Hatloween symbols are already in society, but for the liquor industry to co-opt them is wrong.” The key to stopping fur- ther erosion of youth and family holidays lies in the community action exemplified by the youth groups in California. Laurie Lieber, director of the Center on Aicohol Advertising which is leading the fight, states: “What is going to stop these promotions is if people in the communines involved go in and tell their retailers that they don’t want it anymore.” Instead of trying to influ- ence industry-wide policy or to get corporate entities to adopt socially responsible behavior — actions which have proved a failure to date — grassroots organizing involving the kids has been highly successful. As “Youthbooze” market- ing continues to make inroads north of the border, it’s up to the kids themselves to help turn the trend. Says Lieber: “People are discovering the power they have in the marketplace to protect kids.” Yo, dudes, are ya listening? —- Michael McCarty is a North Vancouver journalist who writes about positive com- munity initiatives and youth. ; oe : one a gi & Test Drive the h Latest in Software! .. Visit the Petting Zoo & Pet Clinic! et om on ag Off the: regular | of admiestun, Rida 12 & only FREER He x Auto mall would be good for city Dear Editor: An auro mail is a much more desirable use Re: Auto mall for Fullerton (Oct. 12 North — of the site than a big box store. : Shore News). Then, of course, there is the tax revenue ran Greystone Properties and the Jim Pattison added to the city’s coffers directly from taxa- yo? Group should be given every cacouragement in pursuing an auto mall on the Fullerton Fill. Such a development would be a winner for our city on several frents. It would consolidate auto-retailing in the city and district into a more sustainable and higher tech environment. A lot of prime space is freed up for redevel- opment along the Marine Drive corridor. capita YA Friday, October 31, 1997 — North Shore News — 9 tion and an increase in the number of jobs. City council should, as quickly as possible : and with due diligesce, indicate its willingness los to rezone Fullerton to accommodate an auto Lot mall. After all these years of sitting idle ... this is too good an opportunity to miss. Roderick Clark North Vancouver , Ww < 3 a -} i-} < be a ntique Row on Antique Row ' MAIN ST. 26th - 29th AVE. . Saturday Sunday Nov. 1 Nov. 2 enter a draw for Great Prizes | 7 ‘+ ; . _ These 3 shops only - New Stock in all Stores * § —. second Time Around § «i Antiques 4428 Main St. Van. 879-2313 * Deelers Antiques 4391 MainSh Van. 2793394 © Sugar Barrel Antiqu - 4285 Main St. ~ Van. 876-5234 MAKE TIME FOR SWISS WATCH WEEK Today is ‘@) OMEGA Birks makes Onega lich Birks features the watches from Omega tomorrow. Bring in your Omega watch for one free battery, water test and accuracy check. You could win an Omega watch (value $1,800). No purchase necessary. Details in-store. Only at Birks 698 West Hastings Street, Friday, October 31st lf am-2 pm&4-7 pm. 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