Alcohol and Teens Alcohol has been a part of our global society, for better of worse, since the beginning of time. Its early role of alcohol has been for therapeutic, medicinal or religious ceremony. "Why doesn't Jesus drink alcohol? Because he already got hammered! " This Joke serves solely as a respite from a complex and difficult subject In today's American society, that of Alcohol and Teens. In what ways, does the advertising of alcohol to our adolescent youth correspond In the 21st century?Should out be encouraged by media to drink alcohol? These Issues will be examined In four separate areas; Film, TV advertising, social media and U. S. Law.
In regards to the later, united states Law, states the rumbling legal age to purchase alcohol Is 21 in all states, with exceptions in some states permitting younger ages limited consumption. "The National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984 (23 U. S. C. S 158) was passed on July 17, 1984 by the united States Congress as a mechanism for all states would legislate the age of 21 years as a minimum age for purchasing and publicly possessing alcoholic beverages" (1).This law was largely brought about due to disparaging ages state by state, resulting in youth crossing state lines to purchase alcohol.
N. M. D. A. Of 1984 further went on to define alcoholic beverages by percentage of alcohol; beer, wine and distilled spirits as being in the same category, regardless of alcoholic content.
This is an important distinction that will be brought forth later in this paper with television advertising. Originally, the laws regarding alcoholic consumption were derived from the colorful history of Prohibition, repealed by the Twenty-First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. These laws are governed and enforced under the US Department of Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Breaking of these laws vary state by state but could include infraction or a class a misdemeanors, which meaner that the punishment could be a fine and/or 30 days or less of imprisonment.
Penalties increases exponentially when operating a vehicle while under the influence are in play. (2) In summation under age alcohol consumption is prohibited under the US Constitution.So why then do we spend so much money and time marketing alcohol to adolescents? On a more basic level, why should we care. Isn't drinking a right of passage to adulthood that all youth should experience? What's so bad about a little drinks poop for our skilled? Even though our Dads might of giving us our first taste of booze, while slugging a Schlitz Malt Liquor while watching your families alma mater football game, the U. S Surgeon General, stated that Alcohol Is the drug of choice among American adolescents, used drinking has remained at consistently high levels.
Young people who start drinking before the age of 15 are five times more likely to have alcohol problems later in life tan tense won Deign rolling at age 21 or older. New research Implicates Tanat alcohol may harm the developing adolescent brain; still there are approximately 1 1 million underage drinkers in the United States. So, knowing that alcohol is bad for youth development, let's get back to our regularly scheduled football game, with Dad, the couch and a cold one.It would be impossible not to attend a Super bowl Party and see millions of dollars being spent on the latest Bud Light commercial or a stunning model sipping on a Captain and Coke. Here's an example of the context of an TV add shown in 2011, during the Green Bay Packers' win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Ad: A friend dog-sits for someone and is invited to drink the Bud Light in the freezer. Cut to a party scene with lots of attractive people being served by dogs, who have gone up on two legs to become waiters and bartenders. The Message: This ad uses humor as its main vehicle.The dogs are funny to watch, and while the scene is absurd?obviously a dog could never serve someone a beer?the implication is that alcohol is a fun, light-hearted, even "fantastical" treat.
" (3) A study on the responses of young people to alcohol advertising found that underage youth are drawn to music, animal and people characters, using immature storyline ND humor in alcohol advertising. Ads that were liked by youth in the study were more likely to elicit responses from youth saying they wanted to purchase the brand and products advertised.Closer to home to long term studies in our region stated that, a group of 2,406 never-drinking New Hampshire middle school students, found that ownership of alcohol-branded merchandise was significantly associated with increased likelihood of having initiated drinking (OR?I . 5) at follow-up one to two years later. (4) One could conclude that school principals are right to ban printed trials with alcohol branding on academic campuses where children previously allowed wearing a Guinness sweatshirt or Heinlein cap to school.
The marketing of alcohol to youth can take many forms, not Just in blatant ads or t-shirts.Researchers from Dartmouth Medical School followed more than 5,000 Vermont and New Hampshire students ages 10 to 14 from 13 to 26 months, and found that those with higher exposure to movie alcohol use at the initial assessment were more likely to have started drinking at time of follow-up. They also found depictions of alcohol use in 92% of 601 contemporary movies, including in 52% of G-rated films. 5) Forget the higher rated all time favorites depicting drinking of Animal House or the earlier Harvey whose character drank so much he saw a large rabbit as his only companion.All film depicting alcohol in its message could increase the likelihood of underage drinking.
There is some debate as to whether advertising for all spirits should be allowed to be on television. Despite contrary common perception, there is no law that was ever in place that prohibited the major television stations from banning hard liquor (gentled named spirits) from productions. There has never been any ban on advertising of the so called softer drinks. In fact, it doesn't matter whether you drink shots of hard liquor, a bottle of beer, or "Just a glass of wine" - the result is the same if you are drinking the same amount of pure alcohol.That meaner that drinking one glass of wine is the same as having one shot of whiskey. Each one counts as "one drink.
" Since alcohol was reintroduced to mass marketing in 1991, followed by some states lowering the legal age from 21 to 18 alcohols has made a steady climb in underage drinking in some areas. Between 2001 and 2005, youth exposure to alcohol perseverant on television In ten u. s. Increased Day 41%.
Much AT tents Increase resulted from the rise in distilled spirits advertising on television.Alcohol advertisers spent $2 billion in 2005 on alcohol advertising in all forms of media that can be measured (TV, radio, print) The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) recognizes, that same year recognized and stated that advertising can influence youth: "The impact of advertising on radio and television audiences, particularly kids, cannot be overstated. Clever Jingles, flashy lights, fast talking, and quick pacing, all contribute to the message of commercials. "(6) Its apparent that NAB is in it for the momentary gain as t ignores its own words and continues its steady upward climb of saturating adds with liquor.
Of course we have not even begun to measure the effect that social media and its underlying marketing ploy will have on today's youth since it is so new. It is self-evident that putting your picture on face book with a chugging party in the background could affect an adolescent's ability to gain new employment or gain entry to an esteemed college. Because of this relatively new form of communication, I. E. Face book, Namespace and the like, it is of yet, unregulated by any federal agency, so no agreements can be taken as to exposure to alcohol in this media.
What is known is that 70% of utilizes for any online community users are under age 21 . The numbers could actually be higher, given that the inadequacies of online age verification pages aimed at preventing under ass's from accessing content intended for adults. In summary alcohol marketing can play a part in promoting early drinking in the American youth. More ads, mixed with alcohol and a generous splash of youth can create a dangerous cocktail, called the More-Teen'. Is that a beverage we really want US society to be famous for?
