Alcohol advertising has become a big news issue in the United States. Some people claim that it leads to an increase in alcohol consumption and abuse among youth, which then makes them more likely to suffer from alcoholism or alcohol abuse problems. Because of this, laws have been passed limiting or banning alcohol ads in the form of billboards, television commercials and print ads in various communities around the country.

Is this practice really effective in reducing consumption and subsequent substance abuse and addiction? Research says that it’s not. There is zero scientific evidence to support the theory. The United States Department of Health and Human services presented a report to Congress saying that advertising does not increase rates of alcohol abuse or consumption, and other similar studies have had the same findings.

According to the Roper Youth Report, 62 percent of American teens between the ages of 12 and 17 said that their parents were the most important influence in their decisions about alcohol. Twenty-eight percent said that their best friends influenced their alcohol consumption most and 9 percent pointed to teachers. However, only 7 percent of these teens referred to what they see in television and 4 percent cited what they see in advertisements as largely affecting their view of drinking and alcohol abuse.

The purpose of alcohol advertising is to increase the market share of particular brands. Individuals who already drink are more likely to choose a beverage that they saw in a commercial. However, people are not at all likely to begin drinking, drink more, or develop alcoholism from seeing these ads.

Research suggests that people should be putting their efforts to reduce alcohol abuse and alcoholism to better use by using other methods besides lobbying against advertisements. There are more effective ways to teach youth to use alcohol responsibly.

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