HOUSTON (August 26, 2008) – The start of a new school year means more opportunity for conversation with teens — topics abound with new teachers, challenging courses and reunions with friends. Anheuser-Busch is reminding parents to use these moments to talk with their teen about resisting negative peer pressure when it comes to underage drinking.

To help parents navigate this important topic, Silver Eagle Distributors is working with Houston community groups, such as Project Grad, to distribute Family Talk About Drinking. This program helps prevent underage drinking by providing tips to parents on how to openly and honestly communicate with their teens.

"Many of us are parents, too, and we face the same challenges when talking with our children about the importance of not drinking when underage," said John L. Nau III, President and CEO of Silver Eagle Distributors, L.P. "We want our children to be healthy and make smart decisions, and that's why we're pleased to provide tips to parents on the best way to begin and maintain this dialogue, especially throughout the critical teen years."

Research shows that parents can have a significant influence on their children's decisions on this subject. According to the 2007 GfK Roper Youth Report, 71 percent of children ages 8 to17 cite their parents as the No. 1 influence on whether they drink alcohol — a statistic that has held constant since the survey began more than a decade ago.

These types of educational programs, along with enforcement of existing laws, do make a positive difference in the fight against underage drinking and teen drunk driving. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 83 percent of underage youth, ages 12 to 17, do not drink. In addition, the federally funded University of Michigan's "Monitoring the Future" annual study found that the percentage of 8th graders who reported having a drink in the last 30 days is at the lowest level since tracking began in 1991. The percentage of high-school seniors who reported having a drink in the last 30 days is also at the lowest level since tracking began in 1975.

Family Talk was developed by authorities in child psychology, education, family counseling, and alcohol treatment to encourage open and honest communication about alcohol issues. Since the program was introduced in 1990, Anheuser-Busch and its family of wholesalers have distributed more than 6.9 million Family Talk materials. A 2007 survey by Data Development Worldwide survey found that 93 percent of parents who have used the Family Talk About Drinking materials would recommend them to other parents. Family Talk is available for viewing or downloading at www.familytalkonline.com or free by mail by calling 1-800-359-TALK.

Anheuser-Busch is the global industry leader in promoting responsibility. Since 1982, the company and its nationwide network of 600 wholesalers have invested more than $750 million in national advertising campaigns and community-based programs to promote responsible drinking and prevent alcohol abuse. In 2008, for the fifth year in a row, the company ranked first in the beverage industry for social responsibility in FORTUNE magazine's "America's Most Admired Companies" and "Global Most Admired Companies." For more information on these efforts and the progress being made, visit www.beeresponsible.com.

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About Silver Eagle Distributors
Silver Eagle Distributors, L.P., the nation's largest Anheuser-Busch distributor, has been part of the Anheuser-Busch wholesaler family for more than 20 years, and employs more than 1,100 people. The company currently serves 16 counties in Texas, including two major metropolitan areas – Houston and San Antonio.