“The theme involves the greater understandings of the larger forces that operate in promoting alcohol. This makes you to understand why the alcohol industry targets teens.”

Alcohol is a good example for selling a depressor, a dull chemical as a pleasurable product. Want to know how? Alcohol is no mans invention. The fungi transforming carbohydrates into alcohol exist in nature in most parts of the world. When beverages containing carbohydrates are put aside for some time, alcohol is produced as a natural adulterant. “Alcohol and Illicit Drugs – Myths and Realities, Hans Olav Fekjaer”.

Contradicting….

How does alcohol which is a dull chemical become pleasurable? Is it really a ‘magical’ chemical as it is related with different moods such as happy – sad, relax – work hard, sleep – awaken, etc… each contradicting with the other? Is that possible, a chemical having so many effects? So, we must know about the factors which make it magical. Expectation of pleasure is an expression of a particular community’s image of alcohol. Is it really a pleasurable experience?

The real experience of drinking alcohol:

• Stinks,
• Bitter,
• Vomiting,
• Dizzy,
• Faintish,
• Sweating

Similar experiences are also felt when we get fever, do we enjoy really enjoy fever?

Then, how can a person enjoy this chemical as pleasurable? Sometimes you may have experienced or you may have observed the above mentioned immediate chemical effects of alcohol.

How do we come to know about alcohol… is it a magical substance?

The magical image of alcohol is created, based on the attitudes, myths and perceptions of the people and the societies. The important factors that make alcohol use appear as an attractive pleasurable thing:-

• The way alcohol is seen and talked about in society and portrayed in the mass media.
• The symbolic meanings attached to alcohol use and its various forms.
• The expectation of pleasure.
• The behaviours those are associated with alcohol use and intoxication.
• The negative image attached to non – user or light alcohol use.

Mass media is integrated into our lives in an inseparable manner. Specially, children learn many things from the media, specially televisions and films. Alcohol industry influences media in a subtle way to familiarize their product among children.

Example: -

i. Popular cartoon characters consuming alcohol and brands are introduced.
ii. Tele drama – alcohol consumption and behaviour is portrayed.
iii. Popular film actors appearing with alcohol and other drugs. For example as Sharuk Khan in Devdas. Media is also being one of a main social institution which contributes in a child’s socialization should act with more responsibility.

Symbolism

Symbolic associations and meanings greatly influence perceptions. Example: - Christmas and Christmas tree. Alcohol often used in parties, has now become a symbol of partying. The environment surrounded by close relations or friends, happy mood and other factors are been connected with alcohol and it has become the reason for the party mood, which is not true. Symbols are valuable tools for evoking desirable emotions and moods. That is where people drink for different reasons, such as, happy, sad, relax, to be active, etc… It is also perceived as a symbol of adulthood, where teenagers demonstrate the use of or effects of intoxicants very deliberately, to make their adulthood clear. Many start drinking due to peer pressure, to be in a group. The drinking symbolizes that you belong to the group.

But is it the alcohol that gives you the pleasure?

Just think about the setting…the friends that you love most, the lightings, the music, the dance the humor etc… Usually a party atmosphere is fun, yet many attribute it to the use of alcohol.

Privileges

Privileges given to those who have consumed alcohol is another factor which encourages use. For example, if a man uses abusive language on another, we usually do not accept the act, but what if the person is after the use of alcohol and does the same thing – then we often tend to excuse him. Just try to see whether an alcohol user would have the same effect when he sees a police officer… When the subtle advertising/media promotes a different image, are you curious to know the real harm? We all understand the health effects of alcohol, the diseases caused by alcohol, but analyzing its real impacts such as the damaging of the outer look or appearance is yet to be analyzed properly. Mainstreaming the critical analysis of the real effects of alcohol use becomes a necessity to make teenagers understand and prevent in the initiation of the use.

• Sunken eyes
• Bulging stomachs
• Faded look
• Old looking
• Wrinkled face
• Sexually impotent…
Usually the first real experiences of alcohol use are:-
• Stinks,
• Cough,
• Burning feeling…

Understand the real effects of alcohol, what makes youngsters still use it?

Surely the subtle advertisements in movies play an active role. Obviously the subtle advertising techniques which entices the innermost feeling of the youngster…. True enough, such scenes with the hero using alcohol in scenes do captivate the young minds that lure them to such a habit. Yet the intelligent youngster gets away from such subtle advertising because he understands the real impact…that the use of alcohol brings away the opposite of all that shows a sugar coating!

How could he or she remain handsome or beautiful if he / she used alcohol?

He / She stinks in alcohol…how could the opposite sex get attracted?
His rigor is weakened, then how could he be sexually attractive?
How could he remain muscular and sportive?

Does any youngster whether girl or boy like to spoil their image or appearance at an earlier stage. Discuss with your friends and find out the reality of alcohol which is not the pleasure as it is shown to be.