The Institute for Health and Recovery (IHR) called on the Yes on Question One campaign today to pull its “offensive and irresponsible” ads that feature a liquor store customer being slapped in the face, due to the demonstrated link between alcohol abuse and violence.
“These ads are highly offensive and irresponsible. To combine violence, alcohol and humor to convince voters that the liquor industry deserves a tax exemption is appalling,” said Norma Finkelstein, Executive Director of IHR.
IHR provides training on trauma, domestic violence, and sexual assault to integrate knowledge of these issues into the provision of substance abuse, mental health, and other human and corrections services, both locally and nationally.
“The consequences of alcohol abuse can be deadly and are not funny at all. We are calling on the Yes on 1 campaign to stop running these ads immediately and pursue a more responsible approach to a campaign that does not minimize the relationship between alcohol abuse and violence.”
Vote NO on one makes sense; if anything deserves a user fee, it is alcohol. Due to stigmatization of mental health treatment, quite a few folks who would benefit from treatment for depression abuse alcohol in a futile and harmful attempt to self medicate.
<
p>I have lost track of the number of children removed from their homes, and men and women abused by drunk, alcohol abusing partners.
<
p>No one needs to consume alcohol to live, or to have a good time. Anyone who is desperate for alcohol or believes they “have to have” alcohol is, more likely than not, in trouble and in need of tratement.
<
p>Biased? You bet I am because I am out there trying to help men, women, and children pick of the pieces of their lives after alcohol has been abused by some they love – or themselves.
…because you disagree with their politics.