The Éduc’alcool website now features an “Evening Planner” that allows people to anticipate their blood alcohol content (BAC) based on how much they plan to drink, so that they can control their intake and make the most responsible decisions. The easy-to-use calculator factors in sex, weight, the number of hours over which the alcohol is absorbed, how much the person drinks and what kind of alcohol is being consumed.

The Evening Planner was developed in response to a need clearly expressed by almost two-thirds of drivers in Québec. In “Quebecers and Alcohol,” a 2007 CROP poll, two out of three respondents said they wanted tools for calculating their BAC. The same percentage of respondents said they wanted to know more about how much they could safely drink before driving.

The goal is to help Quebecers gain more control over their drinking, whether or not they drive. All the research shows that drivers tend to underestimate their BAC, and drinkers systematically underestimate how much they drink. It is hoped that this tool will to make people aware of the importance of moderation, and will urge drivers to make sure they are absolutely sober before they start their engines.

Éduc’alcool also launched a new advertising offensive in March 2008, urging women not to drink if they are pregnant or planning to be. The other part of the message: respect a pregnant woman’s decision not to drink.

The tone is light, friendly with a supportive nod to women who have chosen to abstain. The campaign also invites women to obtain a copy of the brochure published jointly by Éduc’alcool and the Collège des médecins du Québec. Pregnancy and Drinking: Your Questions Answered addresses all kinds of practical issues involving alcohol, pregnancy and breast-feeding in easy-to-understand language.

A radio ad was broadcast on major English and French stations across Québec. The print portion of the campaign ran from March to May in nearly 20 magazines with a primarily female readership, 18-44.

More than 25,000 copies of the brochure were ordered in less than a month by hospitals, clinics, community organizations (particularly those serving aboriginal populations), pregnant women, fathers-to-be, and others.