Lakers Fans: Permanent Addition to the Stiffs List?

Who holds a drunk accountable for their actions? Many times courts don’t even do that (yes and many times they do). It was some time ago that they passed legislation holding bar owners/bar tenders accountable for knowingly letting drunks drive. Why should they be responsible for the actions of their customers?
Holding alcohol companies accountable is more like holding Ford responsible when they manufacture cars with faulty brakes that cause accidents. Alcohol is essentially a defective product that has done tremendous damage to our society, yet it holds a special place legally due to the repercussions of the Volstead act.

Advertising works. The beer companies wouldn’t spend so much time and money on it if it didn’t. People would not drink so much without advertising. I know there are plenty of people who drink without participating in riots, but do you really think those riots would take place if those people hadn’t been drinking? How many times do you suppose the police are called to a residential address where alcohol isn’t involved? What is the point of drinking if not to alter your experience, perceptions and judgement? (note the sales figures for non-alcoholic beer) I’m not really advocating letting the drunks off scott free either, they should be punished, but have you ever seen those guys really learn from what the courts do to them? Of course there are reformed alcoholocs, but was it really the courts that made them change? I don’t think so.

I appreciate the compliment about being a thoughtful poster, but I don’t think I’m dead wrong, just taking a view that many would find extreme. Why should beer companies be able to advertise a product that when used as the manufacturer intended will alter the brains of those that consume it? We don’t allow that for marijuana, yet it is probably less harmful than alcohol. Alcohol places a huge burden on our society in costs that can’t necessarily be calculated in dollars. Billing them for the damages caused in riots after sporting events that they advertised in should be just the start. Even if they paid those damages you can bet that they would still be profitable, even if they had to rasie their prices by a few cents per serving.

I have a solution to the problem but it would never fly because it would cost the companies so much money in lost revenue. It would make living in our country a lot safer and cheaper though. I’d tell you what it is, but I haven’t got it all written up yet and without a comprehensive plan it wouldn’t be worth explaining as it would be prematurely rejected.