Public Drinking.

• Author: Sager, Ryan H.
• Position: Federal Trade Commission attacks alcohol industry marketing - Brief Article

In September, the Federal Trade Commission reported to Congress that beer, wine, and liquor makers have dangerously loose standards regarding the marketing of booze to minors. While stopping short of recommending that the government regulate alcohol advertising, the report rattled the government's saber and has been taken by companies as a warning that they had better get onto this federal wagon.

The study, commissioned last August at the height of the national debate on tobacco, required eight companies to show they have complied with self-enforced industry advertising standards. The firms reporting included industry heavyweights Anheuser-Busch, Miller Brewing, Coors Brewing, and Seagram & Sons. Among other complaints, the report faults companies for placing alcohol in PG and PG-13 movies and running ads during TV shows with large underage audiences. Noting that 30 percent of the U.S. population is under the age of 21, the report implies that any program with a youth audience exceeding 30 percent should not portray drinking or have beer and wine ads.

The report recommends that the industry...