Alcohol A Sacred Cow

Today the American Medical Association is taking out full page ads in several college newspapers calling on university leaders and athletic conferences to ban alcohol marketing from college sports. The ad entitled, "Stop the Madness" is aimed at the conflicting messages schools send by chastising campus binge drinking and simultaneously accepting money from the very companies who provide the product. The timing of the ad during the NCAA's March Madness is intentional. You can read about the story at: http://www.wkrn.com/nashville/news/ap-alcohol-ads-in-ncaa-sports-targeted/82218.htm

Kudos to the AMA for standing up against an industry that no politician will touch! While the tobacco industry has been fair game for the courts, politicians and state legislatures, acohol is never addressed. When's the last time you heard a state politician or governor promote raising the sales tax on alcohol sales to apply to healthcare, road improvement, etc? You won't. Like a sacred cow, no one will touch it because they fear a constituency backlash because it's something that cuts across every social and financial demographic.

I'll give you $52 million reasons why the NCAA won't touch this topic! That's the amount the AMA claims the industry spent last year to promote its products on televised college sports. The University of Wisconsin alone, reportedly receives $425,000 a year from Anheuser-Busch and Miller Brewing for ads in their game programs and broadcasts. How a college president or Board of Trustees can say with a straight face that they are addressing one of, if not the largest single student health issue and simultaneosly pocket these ad dollars is laughable, were it not so serious. Here's a suggestion. What if universities and colleges used just half of the total money received from alcohol ads in programs, broadcasts and signage for on campus alcohol education, counseling and recovery programs? While such a ban won't stop college binge drinking, $25 million would go a long way to educating students and curbing the problem. To be fair not all, but most major college programs accept alcohol ad dollars.

Okay before you throw your beer bottle at me, I am not advocating a ban on the sale or use of alcohol. Those who are of legal drinking age and act responsibly with the product are not the issue here. Banning alcohol ad money from college sports will not injure, or bankrupt the alcohol industry either. Professional sports would gladly receive the additional ad revenue and that's not inappropriate because unlike college athletics, the mission of professional sports is not to graduate students, or reach an under-21 audience. That is the mission of college athletics isn't it? Besides, the NFL has had such success with alcohol abuse that nearly all stadiums now offer plastic bottles so drunken fans can no longer hurt players, officials and other fans. And some teams even offer tickets for "Family" seating areas with no alcohol. Sarcasm? Surely not!

If such a ban, or minimally redirecting the funds for alchol abuse prevention and education keeps one college student out of the local Emergency Room for alcohol poisoning, or prevents one on campus sexual assault related to alcohol it will be worth it! Just ask the parents of any son or daughter who has suffered from either situation.

I'm a diehard college basketball fan and March Madness is like icing on the cake. However, we need to admit that college athletics is BIG business. And there's not a athletic fund, or athletic program in the country that does not feel increasing pressure to raise more and more funds. But what's the price institutions of "higher learning" are willing to pay for those sports dollars? The fact that so many coaches of major Division 1 teams are paid way more than college presidents speaks volumes about our educational priorities. One is responsible for an entire academic institution, the other is responsible for a single department or team that wouldn't exist without the larger institution! Um, and we wonder why students in other countries are excelling in math, science, and engineering way beyond the average American student. Okay that's another argument for another day. Thank you AMA for risking your political clout and popularity to address a serious national issue!