Aug 30, 2008

Mass Media | Alcohol Advertising Does Not Encourage Teens to Consume Alcohol

The following viewpoint by sociologist David J. Hanson was inspired by hearings held by the New York state legislature on alcohol advertising, which aimed to determine whether such advertising has an effect on youth drinking. Hanson asserts that there is no scientific evidence demonstrating that advertisements encourage alcohol consumption or alcohol abuse by teenagers. He criticizes advocates of alcohol advertising bans for relying on “junk science” to support their arguments. Hanson is a sociology professor at the State University of New York at Potsdam and the author of Alcohol...