(Washington, D.C.) – Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW), the nation’s largest taxpayer watchdog group, today released its latest Through the Looking Glass Report: “Underage Drinking Study: Wasteful and Biased.”  The report condemns a National Academy of Sciences (NAS) study intended to reduce underage drinking, but which instead promotes unproven solutions, violates congressional intent, and wastes $500,000 of taxpayer money.  NAS is scheduled to release its study tomorrow.

The CAGW report concludes:

• NAS failed to follow the intent of Congress, which was to have the panel review existing programs aimed at combating underage drinking and determine which are the most effective.  Instead, NAS appointed a biased panel with preconceived notions that increasing taxes and restricting advertising on alcoholic beverages would reduce underage drinking.  NAS also ignored well-known experts recommended by members of Congress to serve on the panel.
• The NAS panel based its conclusions on preconceived and biased notions despite government research to the contrary.  In an April 2003 report, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration identified several successful programs designed to prevent underage drinking, and concluded that parental involvement stands out as the critical factor. 
• NAS failed to divulge conflicts of interests among the panelists in violation of the Federal Advisory Committee Act.  A majority of the panelists have been associated with or received funding from anti-alcohol organizations.
• The panel’s actions have raised concerns among members of Congress, the administration and the private sector. In fact, 140 members of Congress have written to criticize the direction taken by NAS and reiterated their original intent.
• A May 2001 General Accounting Office report identified 23 federal agencies which spent a total of $71.1 million in fiscal 2000 on efforts to prevent underage drinking.  The $500,000 spent on the NAS study was a waste of taxpayer dollars as it will do nothing to identify which of these efforts are successful.

“While combating underage drinking is a worthwhile and much-needed cause, it is also necessary that we do so in the most effective and cost-efficient manner,” CAGW President Tom Schatz said.  “When Congress commissions such a study, it is imperative that politics and bias be put aside.  Taxpayer money should not be used to promote a political agenda through such studies.  The NAS’s actions warrant a congressional investigation.”

“Underage Drinking Study: Wasteful and Biased,” was written by CAGW Senior Fellow John Frydenlund.  For more information and a copy of the full report, please contact Mark Carpenter at 202-467-5300 or visit www.cagw.org.

Citizens Against Government Waste is the nation's largest nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in government.