This research paper is on advertising and alcohol. There are facts about how media and advertising portrays alcohol in our society today.

In our society today, millions of people, especially teenagers, are exposed to large billboards, humorous television commercials, magazines, and movies all containing some type of alcohol use or advertisement. Suppose you are driving down the expressway. Somewhere along your journey you are bound to see a large billboard advertising some sort of alcoholic beverage. This sort of advertisement will most likely contain some young happy people skiing in the mountains combined with a catchy quote, such as, ?Tap the Rockies?. Another place you will notice the use of alcohol is in many movies, nowadays, such as, American Pie 2. Movies such as these display teenagers drinking alcohol and enjoying themselves. It is advertisements and movies such as these that are causing controversy between anti-alcohol campaigners and beer and wine makers. Are these portrayals of alcohol influencing teenagers to drink more? This is a very debatable issue that offers good points on both sides.

A Kranz (wreath) of Kölsch beer.

English: Total recorded alcohol per capita consump...

Exceptions to Minimum Age of 21 for Consumption of...

Ultimately, the question arises: Is the media/advertising portrayal of alcohol a sufficient threat to teen use of alcohol that it should be banned or regulated?

?Undoubtedly, alcohol is the principle drug abuse problem in America today? (National Journal, 1998). According to General Barry McCaffery, former President Clinton?s drug czar, the most dominant drug causing violence among American people starts with the abuse of beer and wine coolers by adolescent Americans. It is clear that alcohol is a major problem in America, even more so than drugs. A number of studies have taken place to understand the seriousness of underage drinking. A recent studied, for example, showed that approximately fifty-eight billion dollars was societies cost due to underage drinking. A 1998 study by NIH found that adolescents who drink alcoholic beverages are four times more likely to become alcoholics than those who begin at the age...