US Alcohol Policy Alliance

10/09/2026

This was a from a few months back but an important issue that US Alcohol Policy Alliance (USAPA) rallied opposition to. Promoting alcohol at college events flies in the face of sound public health recommendations. Especially at a time when young people are making a concerted effort to drink less.

U.S. Alcohol Policy Alliance, public health agencies call for reversal of new NCAA ad rules

10/01/2026

30 organizations across the country signed a petition with a simple request of the Mars Corporation: don’t co-brand alcohol with products for kids. The petition was sent to Mars Corporation, the owners of Pop-Tarts and USAPA CEO, Mike Marshall requested a meeting. As a result, Mars is pulling out of the deal with BuzzBallz. We thank Mars for understanding that these products have an impact on young people and hope that other youth-oriented companies who are co-branding with the alcohol industry will follow suit.

To our fellow advocates, remember your voice matters and we are more powerful when we march together.

09/29/2026

"Mars’ decision came following a meeting with USAPA last week. The advocacy group aims to prevent and reduce alcohol-related harm through public policy changes."

“Using one of America’s most recognizable childhood food brands to help sell a high-alcohol product should never have happened,” USAPA Chief Executive Officer Mike Marshall said in the statement.

“Childhood brands should not become tools for normalizing or promoting alcohol consumption,” he added.

Mars Inc. is pulling its Pop-Tarts and BuzzBallz collaboration just a month into its rollout over concerns that the product could appeal to underage drinkers.

08/21/2026

Were you displaced from a federal or state public health position during the past two years?

The U.S. Alcohol Policy Alliance is offering up to 20 reduced registration scholarships to AP2026, the National Alcohol Policy Conference to help public health professionals stay connected to colleagues, career opportunities, and the alcohol policy and prevention field.

Scholarship recipients will receive a 90% discount on the $850 registration fee for AP2026 taking place September 29–October 1 in Arlington, Virginia.

Public health needs your experience and expertise. We hope AP2026 will help you build new connections and identify new ways to continue making a difference.

Space is limited. Apply today: https://forms.gle/mrHcrxgDGgzUZkjT8
Learn more about AP2026: https://www.alcoholpolicyconference.org/

AP2026 brings together advocates, researchers, and public health leaders from across the country to advance evidence-based alcohol policy solutions.

07/17/2026

What happens when leading researchers, advocates, and policymakers come together to tackle today's biggest alcohol policy challenges?

AP2026.

Our speaker lineup is now live, featuring more than 100 presentations covering:
• Federal alcohol policy
• Alcohol marketing and industry trends
• Underage prevention
• Impaired driving
• Community action
• Health equity
• And much more.

Explore the full program and join us this September:
🔗 https://www.alcoholpolicyconference.org/

07/03/2026

What if the most important question isn’t… “What’s wrong with me?”

What if it’s... “What if there’s nothing wrong with me?”

In this clip, Annie Grace of This Naked Mind shares how curiosity — not shame — changed the way she understood alcohol, ultimately leading her to question everything she thought she knew.

Sometimes the first step isn’t trying harder. Sometimes it’s asking different questions.

🎧 Catch the full episode of The Shift on YouTube (https://youtu.be/sD6MqbfEoHw) or wherever you listen to podcasts.

07/02/2026

What if many of our beliefs about alcohol… aren’t actually ours?

In this clip, Annie Grace of This Naked Mind explores how culture, advertising, personal experiences, and social norms shape the way we think about drinking — often without us realizing it.

Understanding those influences doesn’t tell us what to think. It simply gives us the opportunity to think more intentionally.

🎧 Catch the full episode of The Shift on YouTube (https://youtu.be/sD6MqbfEoHw) or wherever you listen to podcasts.

06/30/2026

For decades, we’ve been told alcohol helps us celebrate, connect, relax, and belong.

But what if some of the stories we’ve inherited about drinking aren’t true?

Today on The Shift, Mike Marshall sits down with Annie Grace for one of our most powerful conversations yet — exploring the intersection of personal choice, cultural programming, public health, and the truths hiding in plain sight.

This isn’t a conversation about judgment. It’s a conversation about curiosity.

🎙️ Episode 8 drops at noon ET.

06/17/2026

Why are products like BuzzBallz concerning?

🔹 High alcohol content packed into a small container.
🔹 Low prices that make them accessible and attractive to youth.
🔹 Packaging and flavors that can mask just how much alcohol is inside.

And we know that higher consumption is linked to increased risks of violence, injury, and other serious harms.

Bottom line: Cheap alcohol + high alcohol content is a dangerous combination.

Alcohol policy is violence prevention.

06/04/2026

Why is alcohol sometimes cheaper in places that can least afford its harms?

In this episode of The Shift, Senator Antoinette Sedillo Lopez shares a candid story about questioning alcohol industry representatives and what she learned about pricing, poverty, and alcohol sales.

Watch on YouTube (https://youtu.be/Dnb99H6VXH0) or listen wherever you get your podcasts.