anti-smoking vs. anti-alcohol
anti-smoking vs. anti-alcohol
i sit down everyday after a hard day at work to watch the television. i see no tobacco ads at all. on the other hand I've SEEN hundreds if not thousands of anti-tobacco ads on TV. I'm gonna start over...... I've seen hundreds if not thousands of "colorful" alcohol commercials, and no anti-alcohol commercials (maybe I've missed them, i watch a lot of tv though). i chew tobacco everyday, but this habit hasn't caused my life to be in shambles, maybe one day tooth loss or cancer will catch up to me. does anyone see extreme irony in this? both are bad, please don't get me wrong. p.s. my father has smoked his whole life, and can't do anything without it feeling like a marathon for him. my mother was an abusive alcoholic when i was a child. my father was a teacher to me in this time for what i need to know to be a productive human being. this is my life, what is yours? much feedback is very welcome.... I'm not being negative, but just calling out ironic hypocrisy.
There is certainly a lot of irony and hypocrisy in the media, and in society in general. That has always been the case though and always will be. I feel its a lot more important to focus on what I know, and I know I'm an alcohilic. No anti-alcohol ad will change that either.
what about the people (untold amounts); just crossing the street, driving through an intersection, or just sitting at a stop light in traffic, who get smashed by a drunk driver. to me that effects everyone at some point and time.
I'm not an apologist for the alcohol industry by any means - I just take the view the problem was me, not the alcohol.
I expect to see alcohol ads go the way of smoking ads eventually...but people still smoke without TV ads...they'll still drink too, no matter what you or I think.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 62
I hope people don't mind me lurking here. I'm usually on the friend and family forum. My 8 year old recently asked me the same thing. My AH and I have drilled in his head that alcohol is really bad for some people and he wanted to know why they sell it so much and why its on tv so much. It's hard to explain to a little one.
quat
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: terra (mostly)firma
Posts: 4,822
heres2hope
You may try explaining with say a candy analogy. The major candy manufacturers spend money on advertisements to sell their brand not candy in general. Too much candy can be/is bad for you , just like too much alcohol can be /is bad for you.
You may try explaining with say a candy analogy. The major candy manufacturers spend money on advertisements to sell their brand not candy in general. Too much candy can be/is bad for you , just like too much alcohol can be /is bad for you.
Member
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 296
I have seen anti-alcohol commercials, any and all M.A.D.D. commercials. Notice how the alcohol commercials have the hot women, ice cold can/bottle of booze, the party where everyone is happy and having a good time...not so in my last days of drinking. Quite the opposite.
some people love candy so much they become fat. i believe it's in our genetics. some people are addicted to food, they are fat. some people are addicted to drugs, they are junkies. some people are addicted to alcohol, they are alcoholics. i have been all the above. the "addiction gene" finds what is most comfortable to home and it attacks. addicts of all things, we are the same. with just a different genre. i plead with parents with this genetic nightmare, that we teach our offspring of this disease and discourage them from negative addiction. positive addiction will be the future of humanity.
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Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Zion, Illinois
Posts: 3,411
i sit down everyday after a hard day at work to watch the television. i see no tobacco ads at all. on the other hand I've SEEN hundreds if not thousands of anti-tobacco ads on TV. I'm gonna start over...... I've seen hundreds if not thousands of "colorful" alcohol commercials, and no anti-alcohol commercials (maybe I've missed them, i watch a lot of tv though). i chew tobacco everyday, but this habit hasn't caused my life to be in shambles, maybe one day tooth loss or cancer will catch up to me. does anyone see extreme irony in this? both are bad, please don't get me wrong. p.s. my father has smoked his whole life, and can't do anything without it feeling like a marathon for him. my mother was an abusive alcoholic when i was a child. my father was a teacher to me in this time for what i need to know to be a productive human being. this is my life, what is yours? much feedback is very welcome.... I'm not being negative, but just calling out ironic hypocrisy.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 638
I think the anti-campaigns just attempt to give the clear-cut facts to everyone. Facts that otherwise should be obvious to anyone. Then the alcohol and tobacco advertizers do the exact opposite.
Anti: strives for health of the people.
The drug pushers: strive for maximum financial gain, without regard of the damage dealt by it to anyone else.
I just wonder (a little off-topic) when there will be anti-caffeine activity? Will people realize that caffeine is a potential gateway drug that leads to nicotine and alcohol because it causes subtle withdrawal and an addiction syndrome that is well defined in science. To me this is just too obvious today.
Anti: strives for health of the people.
The drug pushers: strive for maximum financial gain, without regard of the damage dealt by it to anyone else.
I just wonder (a little off-topic) when there will be anti-caffeine activity? Will people realize that caffeine is a potential gateway drug that leads to nicotine and alcohol because it causes subtle withdrawal and an addiction syndrome that is well defined in science. To me this is just too obvious today.
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Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 5,229
how about tv shows where they show people drinking it up then the next morning going for a run or a minor ho hum about drinking a lot the night prior. They look attractive int he shows as well. Yet they clearly binge drink. They should show them looking like death the next morning and since from episode to episode in some shoes this is standard behaivior to drink a lot they should show them looking unhealthy perhaps getting a DUI in an episode etc.. Sure sometimes you see a little of this but its almost like the alcohlic is singled out when others in the show clearly there characters have some kind of alcohol issue as well.
I think stuff like that really misrepresents the true nature of drinking etc... Alcoholic or not if you binge drink your not gonna be all smiling happy like nothing the next morning up early out for a run and if you are maybe your a functioning alcoholic? as i've met one person almost capable of that yet was an alcoholic.
But yeah I think alcohol should be demonized as much as tobacco or neither should be. To be honest I think its bad they tax both yet turn around and demonize tobacco etc.. if its so bad why tax it? why not just outlaw it? but even the gov wants to dip there hand in this cookie jar.
I think stuff like that really misrepresents the true nature of drinking etc... Alcoholic or not if you binge drink your not gonna be all smiling happy like nothing the next morning up early out for a run and if you are maybe your a functioning alcoholic? as i've met one person almost capable of that yet was an alcoholic.
But yeah I think alcohol should be demonized as much as tobacco or neither should be. To be honest I think its bad they tax both yet turn around and demonize tobacco etc.. if its so bad why tax it? why not just outlaw it? but even the gov wants to dip there hand in this cookie jar.
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Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 3,293
I get a real kick out of that "Men" comedy (can't remember the whole name), where he plays a guy that drinks almost all the time, yet he is able to get up in the morning, maybe a little hung over, but has his breakfast and coffee and he is ready for the day. No shaking, no sweating, no incredible anxiety, etc. Has a great house on the beach, lots of beautiful women, tons of money, yet he drinks himself to oblivion. Give me a break!! That's not even close to what I am like in the morning. John
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