David Penberthy's article
I wonder if David Penberthy has read one word of research on alcohol? Or is he relying solely on the ultimate anecdotal evidence of all – his own drinking?
We have an epidemic of binge drinking including a spike in children receiving brain damage from alcohol, out of control rates of alcohol related violence, and we see Penberthy stating that ‘a boozy day at the races’ is a ‘truly excellent feature of life in Australia’.
He then falls into ostracising ‘hardcore halfwits’ for the crime of being out of control whilst consuming a disinhibiting drug designed just to do that – put you out of control.
Ostracising the victims of alcohol is a well trodden path for the spruikers of binge drinking. In fact the British Medical Association latest report on alcohol marketing notes this technique as being one of the many marketing methods used in Big Liquor’s 600 million pound Under the Line marketing program. That is, the marketing efforts not visible to the public.
Our Victorian Government has failed to adopt sensible harm minimisation measures such as a ban on alcohol marketing, a min age of 21 for alcohol purchase and consumption or a maximum drink walking limit of 08.They cannot explain in one phrase at what point responsible drinking ends. Millions of dollars spent, no knowledge transferred.
Our government, media and community leaders need to stop getting into bed with Big Liquor and start thinking of them as the enemy. They are not a harmless bunch of business people going about a harmless, fun activity. Their stuff indiscriminately kills, maims and injures.
In the context of this environment, how many negative, unconsciously destructive attitudes can one writer pump into an article about controlling the booze? To find out click here.
