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A popular clothing store may be sending the wrong message to its target customer.
Urban Outfitters is known for its trendy fashions marketed towards young adults, but some new shirts are coming under fire by groups fighting underage drinking. The alcohol themed women's tops have slogans like "I Vote for Vodka", "Misery Loves Alcohol", and "I Drink You're Cute".
Cassie Greisen the Associate Director with Project Extra Mile says this isn't the first time they've seen stores promoting alcohol in merchandise for young adults, but it is one of the more blatant approaches.
"It's no accident it's vodka on a young female's shirt,” Greisen explained. "92% of all alcohol consumed by young people is done so in a binge drinking fashion. The last thing they need is merchandise promoting that kind of behavior."
Project Extra Mile cites a 2009 study that says alcohol merchandise is connected to a person's susceptibility to drinking and binge drinking. The CDC says Nebraska has the 2nd highest rate of binge drinking in the country.
"I don't think it's very appropriate at all for young women to wear shirts like that. It's just promotes drinking, which we know there's an issue with drinking in teenagers and I don't think it's healthy for any of our children,” said Barb Hechtner, a mother of a high school student.
Many school districts in the metro, including Omaha and Millard, prohibit students from wearing clothing that advocate alcohol, tobacco, or drugs.
WOWT Channel 6 News did try to contact Urban Outfitters about this story. They did not respond to our message.
