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Church Health Educators Support Campaigns Against Drunk Driving


From "Beckett, John" <BeckettJ@gc.adventist.org>
Date 14 Dec 1999 12:09:46

ANN Bulletin
Adventist News Network
Seventh-day Adventist Church World Headquarters
December 14, 1999
----------------------
Church Health Educators Support Campaigns Against Drunk Driving
Silver Spring, Maryland, USA .... [ANN]

"Drunk driving is both socially irresponsible and life-threatening-to others
as well as to the driver," said Thomas Neslund of the Seventh-day Adventist
Church's health department in a December 10 interview.

Speaking ahead of campaigns against drunk driving for the holiday season,
Neslund pointed to statistics that show that up to half of all traffic
accidents are alcohol-related.

"On average, drunk driving kills someone every 31 minutes in the United
States," says Neslund, "and holiday periods show both an increase in traffic
deaths and an increase in the number of deaths from drunk driving. We
support efforts around the world to reduce deaths from drunk driving."

In the United Kingdom, hard-hitting ads use reconstructions of
alcohol-related fatalities along with comments from the convicted drunk
drivers who caused the deaths. The slogan "It can ruin your life and someone
else's" is aimed at promoting personal responsibility with millions of
leaflets and posters being distributed.

According to the European Union, 84 million of its citizens are problem
drinkers or affected by others' drinking. Drunk driving campaigns aim to
target not only problem drinkers but particularly those who believe they are
able to drink and drive without causing danger.

"Even small amounts of alcohol in the blood can impair judgment and reaction
times," says Neslund. "Our message is simply, don't drink at all. Only then
can you be sure you are not endangering others or yourself. Plus you will
have much better health."

Seventh-day Adventists have consistently promoted the advantages of an
alcohol-free lifestyle as part of their emphasis on positive health.
[Jonathan Gallagher]

----------------------
Contact Information: 
Communications Department
General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
12501 Old Columbia Pike
Silver Spring, MD 20904-6600

Phone: 301-680-6300
e-mail: info@gc.adventist.org
web: http://www.adventist.org/


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