Doug PollardAlcohol pushers say “not our problem”
July 4th 2008 04:14
pic: freephoto.com
Australian drinks manufacturers are indulging in a bout of hypocrisy as they try to evade their responsibilities.
Binge-drinking is an Australian way of life. ‘A big noight out’ means ‘drinking yourself into oblivion’, and is the standard Australian way of celebrating anything – even if it’s just the end of the week.
But mobs of drunks on the streets late at night have become something of a problem lately, and booze manufacturers are being asked to shoulder a share of the responsibility for the harm their products do. They have flatly refused.
They say they should not have to put warning labels on bottles, despite agreeing that binge-drinking is a problem, especially among teenagers. They also oppose increasing taxes on alcohol.
Instead they push the blame off onto everyone else – drinkers behaving irresponsibility, adults buying booze for kids – and tout education and community responsibility as the answers.
Let’s get something clear here. Alcohol is a legal drug. So is tobacco. Tobacco manufacturers are held responsible for the effects their products have on their users. Alcohol manufacturers are not. Tobacco manufacturers must display warnings on their product packaging. Alcohol manufacturers need not.
Tobacco highly addictive, alcohol is a drug of dependence, so it could be argued that it doesn’t need to be treated as harshly. But tobacco mainly harms the user; alcohol harms not just the user, but their family, friends, and society in general. It's implicated in most violence and a good deal of other crime.
It’s time booze peddlers were held to the same standards as cigarette manufacturers.
Incidentally, the grog merchants also said that they do not believe the sponsorship of sporting clubs and events encourages drinking.
Oh really? They gain no economic benefit from the millions of dollars they put into sport?
Give me a break! These are business people. No business spends that kind of money just out of the kindness of their heart. They are buying priceless exposure and associating their products with popular heroes and teams. If it didn’t reap a financial benefit for them, they wouldn’t do it.
Let’s have some honesty and some social responsibility from these people instead of hypocrisy, please.
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Comment by Louie
Climate Forum
Climate Red
randomthoughts
Phil's Wellness Tips
excuse my ignorance but what is the difference?
Interesting post..
Comment by Cibbuano
20/20 Filmsight
Science News
Hunt Famous
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Fat Cult
Techbreak
After all, while underage drinking is illegal, being the nominal age of 18 allows you to binge drink all you want, no?
I think Australia should follow the norms in other countries- many countries don't have any age laws at all with regards to drinking, and they don't have the same kind of binge-drinking culture.
Myself, I used to overdrink when I just turned 18, because it was the appreciation of freedom. Without it, I don't think I would have been that interested.
Comment by Doug Pollard
Rainbow Reporter
Alcohol is initially only pyscholgically addictive, although some people are genetically predisposed to become physically addicted, too. But That's only my understanding - I'm not a specialist in these areas, just a journo!
Comment by Louie
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