Stop Drinking Advice…An Issue of Mixed Messages

by Ed Philips

There are a large number of mixed messages that we receive in our society today. Everything from what we eat, even to what we should wear changes from day to day in what is considered right or wrong. So why is it when a message giving warning of something being harmful, unhealthy and even illegal is not only dismissed, but the opposite message is promoted? The message in question is that of drinking alcohol and the issues that it creates.

Alcohol has made its way over time out from just the taverns and bars from coast to coast. Once you also factor in the number of restaurants, sporting events, fairs and festivals, hotels, and night clubs, just to name a few, alcoholic beverages have become a typical part of everyday choices. Liquor stores and package shops are not the exclusive venues any longer for purchases. Now with a simple trip to the grocery store, or at a stop to get gas at the local convenience store, an adult can make a legal purchase of anything from cans to bottles, cases and in some locations even kegs of whatever alcoholic beverages they may want.

Is Drinking Alcohol Cool? Not only is alcohol extremely accessible in our society but there are also a number of factors that reinforce the idea that drinking alcohol is “cool.” For instance, consider beer advertisements and commercials on TV. Indeed, it can be argued that some of the most memorable, funniest, and “best” commercials and advertisements on TV have been those that were associated with drinking beer. To push the point further, why would beer manufacturers spend millions of dollars for a commercial during the Super Bowl if this expenditure did not lead to more sales? From a slightly different perspective, consider professional athletes and movie stars who, by their actions and advertisements, reinforce the idea that drinking alcohol is “cool.”

Alcohol is even present in ways and forms that we might not even realize or think of, Consider the religious rituals that make use of alcohol, cultural traditions that encourage drinking alcohol, special events and holidays that are associated with drinking alcohol, and the recipes calling for alcohol to enhanced flavor…when all of these are factored into the equation, it becomes obvious that alcohol is deeply woven into our society. The point is that when a person has alcohol constantly around them through events, traditions, holidays and advertisements, they become desensitized to the harmful effects alcohol carries. Instead alcohol becomes part of normal everyday life and alcohol can even be a means to “fit in” with peers.

With all of the ways alcohol is positively promoted, what are the messages against its use? Alcohol is prevalent, accepted, and readily acceptable and at the same time potentially illegal, unhealthy and dangerous. Simply note the number of those against alcohol and listen to their messages. People from many different points of view all share the same message against alcohol abuse and drinking and driving. Medical professional, both local and federal governments, law enforcement, schools including colleges, and organizations such as MADD all have staggering statistics to the devastating effects of alcohol use.

Mixed Messages and Their Consequences. When something like alcohol use is so intimately ingrained in the fabric of our society, it becomes extremely difficult to significantly alter its use and abuse in a comprehensive and beneficial manner. I assert that one of the consequences of the mixed messages about alcohol use and abuse in our society it that it becomes extremely difficult for many individuals, especially our youth, to realistically see the destructive, unhealthy, and sometimes fatal aspects of alcohol abuse.

The Influence of the Judicial System. Unfortunately, the judicial system and the ways in which it has dealt with alcohol-related offenses is another example of the mixed messages in our society about alcohol. For instance, until very recently, people who have received multiple DUIs have, in many instances, simply received a “slap on the wrist” for their alcohol-related behavior.

Fortunately, some states are becoming more reality and accountability-based and are making it a felony when a person receives his or her 4th DUI within a ten-year period. In Minnesota, for instance, this sentence includes three years in prison and a fine of not less than $14,000.00.

Incarceration AND Treatment. Sending people to jail for alcohol-related offenses, however, is not a viable “solution” unless the person receives help for his or her alcohol problem while incarcerated. True, the offending person is “off the streets” while incarcerated. When the jail or prison sentence is completed, however, a person who has received alcoholism treatment while incarcerated is more likely to become a responsible person who doesn’t continue to drink while driving and less likely to become a repeat offender.

I am not necessarily disagreeing with those who preach “responsible behavior” regarding drinking. The bottom line, however, is one’s definition of “responsible behavior.” Let me explain. Let’s say that I have a lake that is used for swimming and that for whatever reason, hundreds of snapping turtles have populated this lake. Some people may say that “responsible behavior” in this example consists of warning all swimmers about the turtles and telling them to “be careful” while swimming. Others with a different point of view, however, might say that “responsible behavior” in this instance means warning the swimmers about the turtles, telling them to be careful while swimming, AND, at the same time, significantly reducing the turtle population so that there is less chance that the swimmers will get bit.

So why if as a whole, we say we know of the dangerous consequences of alcohol do we as a society have such an acceptance of it in our lives? Considering the health hazards and dangers including death, we should practice “responsible behavior” at the next level. Warnings have not stopped alcohol usage, so we need to create other deterrents in addition to the ones currently in place. We as a society can choose not to glamorize alcohol, in turn making it less “cool.” We can say no to advertisements and commercials promoting alcohol usage. The message can be sent out emphasizing and supporting a healthy and safe lifestyle free from the use of alcohol.

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