Pubdate: Wed, 18 Apr 2001
Source: Lewiston Sun Journal (ME)
Copyright: 2001 Lewiston Sun Journal
Contact:  http://www.sunjournal.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/743

SPORTS AND BOOZE; BOOZE AND SPORTS

Ask almost any substance abuse counselor, and he or she will tell you 
straight up: The biggest menace our society faces is booze.

It's not OxyContin. It's not heroin. It's not cocaine and it's not 
marijuana, although all of those are certainly a threat and a burden to our 
society.

The most money, the most heartbreak, the most illness and the most early 
mortality comes in a bottle or can.

Why, then, a war on drugs that does not include the most lethal and 
dangerous drug of all, alcohol?

Finally, someone is asking that question in the halls of Congress. Where is 
the similar effort to fight underage drinking and alcohol abuse?

The alcohol industry spends $1 billion on advertising per year, the largest 
portion of which goes to television, and the overwhelming majority of that 
is aimed squarely at associating booze with sports.

Sports and booze; booze and sports. The singing frogs and guys playing 
volleyball as the bikini-clad girls look on.

It's a great angle - link alcohol consumption with something considered 
healthy and character-building. Beer goes best after an exhilarating game, 
or while watching one.

Now there's even a proposed law change that would allow the sale of beer to 
sportsmen and women while they play a sport - golf.

The Maine Legislature is considering whether to allow beer carts on golf 
courses to help golfers replenish their fluid levels and steady their hands 
for those long putts.

As Joe Golden, Springbrook Golf Club owner, pointed out in Sunday's Sun 
Journal, this is absurd: "Madison Avenue has done a great job tying 
athletics to beer," he said. If the bill passes, "kids out there would see 
the beer cart going hole to hole. That message would be clear: 'Drinking 
and golf go hand in hand.'"

He's absolutely right. Any kid watching sports on TV must grow up thinking 
that you can't possibly do sports without having a couple of drinks afterward.

The alcohol industry says it is doing a good job of discouraging kids from 
drinking. We would beg to differ, but, if that's the case, let's give the 
industry a hand. Include alcohol abuse in the anti-drug campaign.

It's a drug; it does massive harm and it's illegal for youngsters to obtain 
and consume. Let's sever the sports-booze link on TV and undertake a 
vigorous campaign to dissuade kids from using or abusing alcohol.

We'd better get going with those TV ads.

The alcohol industry has a 50-year head start.
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MAP posted-by: GD