Miller Launches Spanish-Language Guide To Educate About Alcohol & Responsible Decision Making.

As part of the company’s long-standing effort to promote responsible decision making, Miller Brewing Company announced the launch of “Hablemos Claro” (Let’s Talk), a new Spanish-language guidebook designed to help Hispanic parents address issues of alcohol, underage drinking and responsible decision making with their children. The guide is intended to help parents talk to their 6-11-year old children about making responsible decisions before they are at the age when peer pressure becomes more intense.

“Alcohol and responsibility is a concern for the entire community, and we want to give parents an effective tool to raise the topic with their children, encourage dialogue and curb the inevitable peer pressure,” says Jose Ruano, corporate relations manager, Miller Brewing Company. “We’re proud to show our commitment to the Hispanic community through this very important initiative.”

The “Hablemos Claro” guide will be distributed by Miller through partnerships with national organizations including The National Council of La Raza, The United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, The National Association of Hispanic Publications, The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, and The National Latino Peace Officers Association. Through Miller distributors, the guidebooks will be given to PTA groups, schools, and others who work with children.

The “Hablemos Claro” guide was developed in cooperation with psychologists, family counselors, substance abuse experts and law enforcement officials. The guide provides parents with basic information about alcohol, as well as encourages and advises them on how to have informed discussions with their children about not drinking. Designed around the theme of family dialogue, “Hablemos Claro” offers basic principles for parent-child discussion, including questions and answers (“Why Is There A Legal Drinking Age?”, “If You Drink, Are You An Alcoholic?”) and family discussion topics to approach the issue of alcohol and encourage expression.

“For Latinos education must start in the home because that’s where the support, honesty and love is,” says Miguel Frausto, “Hablemos Claro” family spokesperson, “And as parents we must be straightforward with our kids about our own experiences with alcohol as young people and the consequences we faced.” Frausto adds that while it is often difficult for parents to know when to bring up the subject of alcohol with children, the dangers of misinformation and peer pressure even before high school necessitates family intervention. “By lending our face and voice to this initiative we hope to encourage other parents to take the time to read the booklet with their kids and start a dialogue.”