Don't blame the adverts

The tabloid newspapers are greatly enjoying the story of Natasha Farnham: "Drunk at 12, liver failed at 14, now rehab at 18", as yesterday's Metro put it.

The young lady in question apparently began drinking at 12 and was drinking six bottles of wine a day by the age of 13 (well, at least she had some class). After a three-day bender aged 14, in which she consumed 16 bottles of wine, cider and spirits, she was diagnosed with liver failure. Now – to her credit – she is warning other children not to repeat her mistakes.

The most telling part of the story were the comments of Natasha's mother, Michelle, who said "irresponsible advertising" was to blame. Yes, that's right, her 13 year old daughter drank 6 bottles of wine a day (Did she notice? Did she care?), and it's all down to advertising!

The abdication of parental responsibility must surely be behind many of Britain's social ills. Yet in this, as in most other things, government is not the solution to the problem. Indeed, to a great extent, government is the problem. It is the long years of welfarism and the nanny state that have told people we depend on politicians, not on ourselves, for our wellbeing. It's a sorry state of affairs.

Alcohol
written by Max, April 16, 2008

Apart from advertisement and other effects the main thing is the atmosphere in which one grows up and then what about the parents do they also take care about such problem or what.

Advertising? Yeah right
written by john b, April 16, 2008

And wine is barely even /advertised/ in the mass media...

Anyone who thinks that booze advertising has even the slightest inkling of an iota of an effect on kids' drinking habits in the UK is completely, stark raving mad. It's impossible - punished both by the industry's Portman Group, which means that brands breaking guidelines are denied distribution, and by external regulators - to target booze adverts at kids (*including* 18-24 year olds).

Written by Tom Bowman
Wednesday, 16 April 2008
The tabloid newspapers are greatly enjoying the story of Natasha Farnham: "Drunk at 12, liver failed at 14, now rehab at 18", as yesterday's Metro put it. The young lady in question apparently began drinking at 12 and was drinking six bottles of wine a day by the age of 13 (well, at least she had some class). After a three-day bender aged 14, in which she consumed 16 bottles of wine, cider and spirits, she was diagnosed with liver failure. Now – to her credit – she is warning other children not to repeat her mistakes. The most telling part of the story were the comments of Natasha's mother, Michelle, who said "irresponsible advertising" was to blame. Yes, that's right, her 13 year old daughter drank 6 bottles of wine a day (Did she notice? Did she care?), and it's all down to advertising! The abdication of parental responsibility must surely be behind many of Britain's social ills. Yet in this, as in most other things, government is not the solution to the problem. Indeed, to a great extent, government is the problem. It is the long years of welfarism and the nanny state that have told people we depend on politicians, not on ourselves, for our wellbeing. It's a sorry state of affairs. Bookmark Comments (2) Subscribe to this comment's feed Alcohol written by Max, April 16, 2008 Apart from advertisement and other effects the main thing is the atmosphere in which one grows up and then what about the parents do they also take care about such problem or what. Advertising? Yeah right written by john b, April 16, 2008 And wine is barely even /advertised/ in the mass media... Anyone who thinks that booze advertising has even the slightest inkling of an iota of an effect on kids' drinking habits in the UK is completely, stark raving mad. It's impossible - punished both by the industry's Portman Group, which means that brands breaking guidelines are denied distribution, and by external regulators - to target booze adverts at kids (including 18-24 year olds). Write comment Name Email Website Title Comment smaller \| bigger Powered by Azrul's Jom Comment for Joomla!