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Alcohol advertisements and television shows that contain alcohol use repeatedly show drinking as fun and exciting and the people drinking are always happier and seem to have everything they want in life when they drink (University of Michigan Health System, 2006). These images have serious effects on the youth that see then over and over. These portrayals tell them that if they are missing something in their lives, if they are not completely happy, alcohol will fix the problem, whatever it is. The sad reality is that children and teenagers believe the portrayals. The statistics on underage drinking are utterly staggering. Studies show that children as young as 12 are drinking alcohol on a regular basis (McCarthy, 2000). Children and teenagers tend to drink thinking that they will be like the people in the ads. Underage drinking is not a minor issue. Underage alcohol usage has killed many “in the three leading causes of death among young people: unintentional injuries-including motor vehicle deaths and drownings-suicides, and homicides” (O’Hara & Jernigan, 2003). Underage drinking has also shown to be a factor in a large number of sexual assaults and date rapes of teens and college students (National Institute on Media and the Family,
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They will argue that this responsibility lies with the parents of those children and teenagers. While there is a hefty responsibility on the parents to ensure that their children are not so heavily influenced by the media, there is still a moral and ethical obligation that advertisers should take upon themselves to not hone in on young children in their advertising. Yes, parents must do their part, but how can parents shield their children and teenagers from every advertiser who wants to ensure every child drinks their label’s beer or smokes their label’s cigarettes? Advertisers will do whatever it takes to ensure their label is embedded into the minds of youth, to include sponsoring sports events, music concerts, and theme parks. Consider the changes that could take place in the behaviors, attitudes, and actions of children and teenagers if advertisers would glamorize abstinence, believing in yourself, and high self-esteem no matter what you look like instead of sex, violence, alcohol, and the like. We would see an astounding change in the mindsets and choices of our
They will argue that this responsibility lies with the parents of those children and teenagers. While there is a hefty responsibility on the parents to ensure that their children are not so heavily influenced by the media, there is still a moral and ethical obligation that advertisers should take upon themselves to not hone in on young children in their advertising. Yes, parents must do their part, but how can parents shield their children and teenagers from every advertiser who wants to ensure every child drinks their label’s beer or smokes their label’s cigarettes? Advertisers will do whatever it takes to ensure their label is embedded into the minds of youth, to include sponsoring sports events, music concerts, and theme parks. Consider the changes that could take place in the behaviors, attitudes, and actions of children and teenagers if advertisers would glamorize abstinence, believing in yourself, and high self-esteem no matter what you look like instead of sex, violence, alcohol, and the like. We would see an astounding change in the mindsets and choices of our