‘Sticker Shock’ campaign highlights responsible drinking

The first Sticker Shock campaign was held in Pennsylvania in 1998 and is now seen throughout the United States during different times of the year, said a Prevention Department press release.

“The Hood River County Prevention Department has participated in this national campaign two to three times a year for the past 16 years to educate both adults and youth in the community about the harms of drinking alcohol,” said the press release.

In 2008 — the year the Hood River County Prevention Department began the Sticker Shock campaign — more than half of 11th grade students reported a 30-day alcohol use rate of 51.7%. In 2020, the 30-day alcohol use rate had dropped to 35.1%.

“This means that in 2008, 51.7% of 11th grade students who took the Oregon Student Wellness Survey said that they had consumed alcohol in the past 30 days,” said the press release. “Eleventh grade students also reported that the ease of access (easy or very easy to get alcohol) in 2008 was 83.6% and in 2019, it was 70.4%. This question was not asked in 2020.

“The rate of the students reporting ease of access as easy or very easy to get alcohol has also decreased during the time the Prevention Department has been participating in Sticker Shock,” the press release said.

Super Bowl Weekend and the Fourth of July are the two times of year the Prevention Department participates in Sticker Shock. This year, with the help of the Hood River Valley High School Health Media Club members, the Prevention Department was able to place more than 4,500 stickers for Super Bowl and 6,000 stickers for the Fourth of July in eight different stores in Hood River County.

“We want to thank our community partners who make participating possible,” said the press release. “Thank you to Rite Aid, Mid Valley Market, Carniceria y Verdureria la Mexicana, Boys Pine Grove Market, Wind Master Market, Rosauers, Mercado Guadalajara, Safeway, and Columbia Market.”