| An Issue of Mixed Messages
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| | to significantly alter its use and abuse
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| How can something as prevalent, accepted,
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| | in a comprehensive and beneficial manner.
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| and accessible in our society as drinking
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| | I assert that one of the consequences of
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| alcohol be so harmful, unhealthy, AND
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| | the mixed messages about alcohol use and
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| illegal when consumed at or slightly
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| | abuse in our society it that it becomes
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| above moderate intake levels? The simple
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| | extremely difficult for many individuals,
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| asking of this question immediately
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| | especially our youth, to realistically
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| uncovers a number of issues, one of which
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| | see the destructive, unhealthy, and
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| is the mixed messages that exist in our
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| | sometimes fatal aspects of alcohol abuse.
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| society about drinking alcohol.
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| | The Influence of the Judicial System
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| The Accessibility and Acceptability of
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| | Unfortunately, the judicial system and
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| Alcohol
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| | the ways in which it has dealt with
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| On the one hand, consider the thousands
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| | alcohol-related offenses is another
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| upon thousands of bars and taverns in the
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| | example of the mixed messages in our
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| United States. Now add to this list the
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| | society about alcohol. For instance,
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| restaurants, night clubs, sporting
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| | until very recently, people who have
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| events, festivals, state fairs, hotels,
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| | received multiple DUIs have, in many
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| casinos, carnivals, etc. where alcoholic
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| | instances, simply received a "slap on the
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| beverages are regularly served. Moreover,
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| | wrist" for their alcohol-related
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| add the grocery stores, liquor stores,
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| | behavior.
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| beverage stores, the Convenient Food
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| | Fortunately, some states are becoming
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| Marts, the 7/11 stores, and the state
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| | more reality and accountability-based and
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| stores where an adult can legally
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| | are making it a felony when a person
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| purchase as many bottles, cans, and/or
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| | receives his or her 4th DUI within a
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| cases of alcoholic beverages as he or she
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| | ten-year period. In Minnesota, for
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| desires.
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| | instance, this sentence includes three
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| Is Drinking Alcohol Cool?
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| | years in prison and a fine of not less
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| Not only is alcohol extremely accessible
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| | than $14,000.00.
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| in our society but there are also a
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| | Incarceration AND Treatment
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| number of factors that reinforce the idea
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| | Sending people to jail for
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| that drinking alcohol is "cool." For
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| | alcohol-related offenses, however, is not
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| instance, consider beer advertisements
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| | a viable "solution" unless the person
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| and commercials on TV. Indeed, it can be
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| | receives help for his or her alcohol
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| argued that some of the most memorable,
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| | problem while incarcerated. True, the
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| funniest, and "best" commercials and
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| | offending person is "off the streets"
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| advertisements on TV have been those that
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| | while incarcerated. When the jail or
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| were associated with drinking beer. To
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| | prison sentence is completed, however, a
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| push the point further, why would beer
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| | person who has received alcoholism
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| manufacturers spend millions of dollars
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| | treatment while incarcerated is more
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| for a commercial during the Super Bowl if
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| | likely to become a responsible person who
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| this expenditure did not lead to more
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| | doesn't continue to drink while driving
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| sales? From a slightly different
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| | and less likely to become a repeat
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| perspective, consider professional
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| | offender.
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| athletes and movie stars who, by their
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| | Responsible Behavior
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| actions and advertisements, reinforce the
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| | I am not necessarily disagreeing with
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| idea that drinking alcohol is "cool."
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| | those who preach "responsible behavior"
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| Religious Rituals and Cultural Traditions
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| | regarding drinking. The bottom line,
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| When religious rituals that make use of
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| | however, is one's definition of
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| alcohol, cultural traditions that
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| | "responsible behavior." Let me explain.
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| encourage drinking alcohol, special
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| | Let's say that I have a lake that is used
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| events and holidays that are associated
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| | for swimming and that for whatever
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| with drinking alcohol, and the increasing
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| | reason, hundreds of snapping turtles have
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| popularity of adding alcohol to food for
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| | populated this lake. Some people may say
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| enhanced flavor--when all of these are
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| | that "responsible behavior" in this
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| factored into the equation, it becomes
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| | example consists of warning all swimmers
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| obvious that alcohol is deeply ingrained
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| | about the turtles and telling them to "be
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| in our society. The point: when people
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| | careful" while swimming. Others with a
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| are surrounded with alcohol and bombarded
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| | different point of view, however, might
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| by events, traditions, holidays, and
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| | say that "responsible behavior" in this
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| advertisements that are alcohol-related,
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| | instance means warning the swimmers about
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| it becomes part of their socialization
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| | the turtles, telling them to be careful
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| process that in turn makes it easier to
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| | while swimming, AND, at the same time,
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| simply accept that they should drink
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| | significantly reducing the turtle
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| alcohol if they are to "fit in" and
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| | population so that there is less chance
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| become members of our society.
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| | that the swimmers will get bit.
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| Alcohol Abuse and Drinking While Driving
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| | What Can Be Done?
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| If the prevalence, acceptability, and
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| | If our society is more enlightened and
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| accessibility of alcohol represent the
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| | more aware of the health hazards,
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| one side of the coin regarding the mixed
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| | fatalities, and destructive consequences
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| messages in our society, then the
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| | of alcohol abuse and alcoholism, then why
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| dangerousness, unhealthiness, and
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| | don't we practice "responsible behavior"
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| illegality represents the other. Indeed,
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| | and make alcohol less available, less
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| consider the numerous negative and
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| | advertised, less glamorized, and less
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| harmful messages and statistics
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| | "cool" while at the same time increasing
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| associated with alcohol abuse and
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| | the advertisements, commercials, and
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| drinking while driving that we have heard
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| | public service messages that emphasize
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| from the medical community, federal
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| | healthy and safe alcohol-free activities
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| government, police, politicians,
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| | and lifestyles?
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| organizations such as MADD, and school
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| | Copyright 2007 - Denny Soinski. All
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| and college administrators.
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| | Rights Reserved Worldwide. Reprint
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| Mixed Messages and Their Consequences
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| | Rights: You may reprint this article as
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| When something like alcohol use is so
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| | long as you leave all of the links
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| intimately ingrained in the fabric of our
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| | active, do not edit the article in any
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| society, it becomes extremely difficult
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| | way, and give the author credit.
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