Alcohol Advertising: the Cause of Underage Drinking?
Linzay Workman
Advanced Composition
Rose Bunch
Paper 3: Literature Review
Alcohol Advertising: The Cause of Underage Drinking?
The question, "Is alcohol advertising the cause of underage drinking?" seems to flow through the minds of many American families. The answer to the question largely depends upon the families view on drinking in general. Some homes encourage drinking every once in a while, for social purposes; while others condemn it all together. The topic is very controversial with several factors weighing in such as religion, family background, and health. Despite the differing views, statistics have shown that underage drinking has reached a new height this past year. What is the cause of this rise in adolescent drinking? I will be reviewing the work of four different authors in an attempt to answer this question. Dina Berta grew up with alcohol in her home and believes that alcohol is a part of American life, and is a normal accompaniment to most social events. She said, "Most Americans enjoy drinking on a regular basis." She feels that Americans are too "uptight" and that drinking socially, even underage, is not a problem. George Hacker and Robyn Suriano disagree with her and they feel that underage drinking has become a serious problem and that children are drinking more heavily at a younger age. Suriano states, "alcohol is the most abused drug in the country, and the number of children trying alcoholic beverages before they reach 18 has doubled in the past decade." Hacker agrees with this point by giving the statistic that 4.1 million kids younger than 18 tried alcohol in the year 2000. Hacker also states his belief that when the youth drink, they drink heavily and excessively. Suriano and Hacker both agree that the cause of excessive underage drinking is advertisements. The subject of alcohol advertisements negative effects on the behaviors of young people is very diverse. Most liquor and beer companies agree with Berta
Advanced Composition
Rose Bunch
Paper 3: Literature Review
Alcohol Advertising: The Cause of Underage Drinking?
The question, "Is alcohol advertising the cause of underage drinking?" seems to flow through the minds of many American families. The answer to the question largely depends upon the families view on drinking in general. Some homes encourage drinking every once in a while, for social purposes; while others condemn it all together. The topic is very controversial with several factors weighing in such as religion, family background, and health. Despite the differing views, statistics have shown that underage drinking has reached a new height this past year. What is the cause of this rise in adolescent drinking? I will be reviewing the work of four different authors in an attempt to answer this question. Dina Berta grew up with alcohol in her home and believes that alcohol is a part of American life, and is a normal accompaniment to most social events. She said, "Most Americans enjoy drinking on a regular basis." She feels that Americans are too "uptight" and that drinking socially, even underage, is not a problem. George Hacker and Robyn Suriano disagree with her and they feel that underage drinking has become a serious problem and that children are drinking more heavily at a younger age. Suriano states, "alcohol is the most abused drug in the country, and the number of children trying alcoholic beverages before they reach 18 has doubled in the past decade." Hacker agrees with this point by giving the statistic that 4.1 million kids younger than 18 tried alcohol in the year 2000. Hacker also states his belief that when the youth drink, they drink heavily and excessively. Suriano and Hacker both agree that the cause of excessive underage drinking is advertisements. The subject of alcohol advertisements negative effects on the behaviors of young people is very diverse. Most liquor and beer companies agree with Berta