WASHINGTON, DC - In an effort to prevent underage drinking in Rhode Island, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) announced that the Rhode Island Department of Mental Health Retardation and Hospitals will receive $350,000 to fund the 2008 Enforcement of Underage Drinking Laws (EUDL) program. The program supports law enforcement and community efforts to curb underage drinking and prohibit the sale and purchase of alcoholic beverages to minors.

"This federal funding will support a state-wide effort to prevent the possession, consumption, and abuse of alcohol by minors," said Reed, a member of the Appropriations subcommittee that oversees federal funding for Department of Justice Programs. "Underage drinking is a serious problem that can lead to tragic consequences for our young people, and too many Rhode Island families have been touched by such tragedies. This grant is a smart investment that will go a long way towards preventing underage drinking in Rhode Island."

Since the program's inception in 1998, EUDL has sought to reduce youth access to alcohol by developing healthier community environments and supporting effective law enforcement programs.

The grant may be used to support a wide range of activities including a strong emphasis on compliance checks of retail alcohol outlets to reduce sales to minors, crackdowns on false identification, programs to reduce older youth or adults from providing alcohol to minors, and "cops in shops" to deter minors' attempts to purchase alcohol.