LIQUOR ADS MORE THAN JUST BAD TIMING

New York, NY - For the first time since a voluntary liquor-industry ban against television commercials for alcoholic beverages was lifted in 1996, a major national television network has begun airing commercials for distilled spirits, or so-called hard liquor. In an effort to reverse a steep decline in revenue that has accelerated since September 11th, NBC, part of the General Electric Company, has agreed to air a multimillion dollar ad campaign by the Guinness UDV division of Diageo. While the commercials must adhere to certain stipulations, "the timing couldn't be worse for those concerned with the devastating effects of alcoholism, one of the nation's most critical public health issues," says Stacia Murphy, President of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence.

The first in a series of these commercials aired on Saturday, December 15, 2001, during NBC's popular comedy show "Saturday Night Live." According to Randy Falco, president for the NBC Television Network division of NBC in New York, the ads will follow "a pretty strict set of guidelines," including a requirement that the liquor makers must first run a four-month long series of social-responsibility messages on such subjects as designated drivers and drinking moderately before they can run commercials for their distilled-spirits brands. Nevertheless, according to Dr. John Slade, a professor specializing in addiction at the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, "The alcoholic beverage industry seeks to increase its sales in the name of 'moderate drinking.' At the same time, it continues to make money by selling alcohol to heavy drinkers, to underage consumers, and to those whose drinking is acutely dangerous to themselves and others. The industry's professed interest in public health would be less self-serving if it promoted moderate drinking in parallel with effective efforts to reduce immoderate drinking." The tragic result is that many young people feel it is perfectly all right to get drunk, as long as they don't get behind the wheel of a car.

Alcoholism is a major public health issue in America. Alcohol abuse is the third ranking cause of death, exceeded only by cancer and heart disease. It is linked to a broad range of societal problems such as crime, homelessness, family violence, teenage pregnancy, career dissolution and economic loss due to job absence, sickness and accidents. On top of this, as a nation, we can expect to see an increase in substance abuse directly related to the events of September 11 th. As noted in a report by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University (CASA), "Research demonstrates that exposure to trauma puts an individual at four to five times greater risk of substance abuse, and stress is considered the number one cause of relapse to alcohol and drug abuse." In addition, adds Joseph A. Califano, Jr., CASA President and former U.S. Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare, "The Americans who are using drugs and alcohol to cope, or have relapsed from sobriety after the national tragedy, are the forgotten victims of September 11th. We must. be sensitive to the increased likelihood of substance abuse and relapse in the wake of the World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks."

"Is now really the time for network television to start carrying ads for hard liquor? It's irresponsible," says Murphy. Well before the voluntary ban was lifted in 1996, alcohol advertising was known to have negative consequences. A January 1993 report by the Prevention Committee of Maryland Governor William Donald Schaefer's Drug and Alcohol Abuse Commission indicated that children's attitudes favorable to alcohol were significantly related to their exposure to alcohol advertisements. The research showed that when children's exposure to alcohol advertising increased, they: perceived drinking as more attractive, acceptable, and rewarding; viewed drinkers more positively; were more likely to believe that drinking is a way to relax and deal with stress; were more likely to agree that it's okay for teenagers to drink; were more likely to name alcohol than water as an appropriate beverage for adults; and had increased expectations to drink in the future. The research also showed that, for youth who already drink,exposure to advertising reinforced their drinking and contributed to higher levels of drinking. "Has anything changed since then?" says Murphy.

The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence is concerned that the alcohol advertising aired by NBC will negatively affect a population already at risk and will contribute to an increase in stereotypical misconceptions about alcohol consumption. "We need to encourage Americans to drink less alcohol, not more; to educate the public that the use of alcohol, even in small amounts, can cause great harm. The only thing alcohol advertising does - beyond generating revenue for the alcohol companies - is to help support the myth that drinking is a risk-free activity."

With offices in New York and Washington, and a nationwide network of Affiliates, NCADD provides education, information, help and hope to the public. Founded in 1944 by Marty Mann, the first woman to achieve long-term sobriety in Alcoholics Anonymous, NCADD fights stigma and the disease of alcoholism and other drug addictions, and advocates prevention, intervention, and treatment. NCADD operates a toll-free Hope Line (800-NCA-CALL) for information and referral, and also coordinates a National Intervention Network (800-654-HOPE) to educate and assist the families and friends of addicted persons. For more information, visit:
http://www.ncadd.org.

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This Press Relase is available on the NCADD website at
http://www.ncadd.org/news/news55.html