Show Me the Money

By this point, we’ve established that alcohol causes money flow; it flows between manufacturers to store and bars, and eventually to the consumer. But up until now, it never dawned on me just how much a city can profit from alcohol. 

According to the Chamber of Commerce here in College Station, the census from 2000 showed that the average median age of the residents is a mere 22 years and that 79% of the population is between the ages of 0 and 34. Having such a young population, the city must benefit quite a bit from the adventures of the youth here. Here’s the annual report for the Chamber for 2009-2010 which is full of interesting tidbits: http://www.bcschamber.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=na%2bD8mf2JP8%3d&tabid=3690&mid=6168

But thinking along the lines of revenue or benefits from a young population with alcohol usage, the city gets income from property taxes of the businesses (which probably aren’t cheap in areas like Northgate), the income from the pricey metered parking all along the Northgate area, along with money from citations which can include minor tickets and driving under the influence. Those citations lead to a hefty fine the offender must pay, along with a court fee and several other consequences. Almost always community service is involved, so the city gets free work done. And in severe cases, imprisonment occurs and the city may receive bail money along with the ticket fine and court fee. Meanwhile the taxpayers pay for the upkeep of the courts and jail system adding even more revenue into the mix. All these figures add up pretty quickly…

Though it can be troublesome, I’m sure College Station appreciates the business its young citizens provide, as do all other college towns.

Remember: "I" before "E," except in Budweiser.

Everyone enjoys a good story from their parents about their good ol’ college days. One of my favorites is when my mom went out for some beers with her friends; she put down a large wine bottle filled with pennies as their way to purchase a pitcher of beer. The bartender took one look at all that change and told them, “It’s on the house this time.”

College students are infamous for not having much money and scrounging up whatever they can to go out to eat or buy alcohol. But what about the rest of the population? Is it true the alcohol industry is recession proof? Here’s an interesting article I found from the beginnings of our most recent recession: http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2009/jan/31/recession_proof70203/

In times when the economy is down, the alcohol industry isn’t so down. "There is still growth [showing] that the spirits business is "recession resilient,"Peter Cressy stated in regards to the alcohol industry. People are hard up for cash and are saving in many areas, but still purchasing alcohol. Sure, the percentages for alcohol purchases are a bit lower that when the economy is on the up, yet they aren’t lowered enough to show that people are willing to give up that after work cocktail or Monday Night Football with the guys. The statistics showed that people tended to buy less of the more expensive types of alcohol, like spirits, and that they gravitated more to buying beer. Yes beer is more affordable, but that money is still money spent when everyone is so concerned with savings!

Clearly alcohol has become something of a priority in people’s lives, whether it is strictly social or as a way to “de-stress;” its deemed almost necessary for a good portion of the nation, especially in the worst of times.

But why is the rum gone?

At some point or another, most people have had so much fun one night that they don’t remember any of it! All they may have is a bar tab and some blurry pictures as evidence of the most epic night ever. Sound familiar? 

Alcohol leads to some really, really, really fun times. That’s another reason I feel that alcohol as become such a big part of our society today. It produces so many funny moments and memories (if you can remember) that make great stories between friends later. A prime example is textsfromlastnight.com where everyone can read the funny things that happen or are said usually while under the influence. 

But looking at alcohol with such hilarity makes it much less serious. People joke about how trashed they got the night before, or how they woke up not knowing where or who they were with. But honestly, how could that not freak them out just a little bit? I believe society is encouraging alcohol use overall due to the high advertisement of alcohol and sponsorships of alcohol companies along with social networking and the internet. It’s everywhere and it’s spreading faster than ever. But joking about alcohol makes people forget about the impact that alcohol can have.  Making light of a situation with a joke usually makes people feel better about something negative, so why not a bad situation as the result of alcohol? Movies like "The Hangover" are promoting these “good times.”

 
What is it that we find so funny about having your friends stuck on the roof of a hotel for days getting sunburned and dehydrated before his weeding after having a ridiculous drunk adventure? The situations are so outrageous and seem hilarious. But actors are not actually harmed in the making of these movies. If that story was real, it’s more likely that the entire bachelor party would be dead or imprisoned by the end of the weekend. It’s a shame life isn’t just like the movies.

So watch the hilarious TV commercials for the latest and greatest new party beverage and laugh. But when using it, remember the disclaimer and “Please Drink Responsibly.”

Bottoms Up

Last semester, the” Know When to Pass” campaign came to College Station to try to reduce the drinking and driving occurrence. According to the Texas Transportation Institute Senior Research Specialist Bernie Fette, "Texas is among the top 10 states in two categories – when considering alcohol-related driving fatalities as a percentage of all fatalities, and when considering the number of alcohol-related driving fatalities per 100,000 licensed drivers.” Obviously this is an important issue that needs more acknowledgement.  The Battalion, Texas A&M’s newspaper, covered the story: http://www.thebatt.com/news/a-m-to-get-lesson-on-drinking-and-driving-1.1785820

While being featured in the top 10 states in consideration to alcohol related incidences is not something to be proud of, we know the problem is well spread through much of the US. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 52% of adults 18 years and older in the US are considered regular drinkers. Notice how the statistic is for adults 18 and older, even though the nation has a minimum drinking age of 21. That alone states that while its illegal for minors to consume alcohol, its understood and accepted that minors do partake in consumption. No wonder alcohol has become such a staple for college aged students! Everyone knows it’s going on, but there is no way to put a complete stop to it or control it much more than the government tries to control it today. I was curious about the number of deaths related to alcohol in the entire US after reading about the top 10 states in alcohol related driving fatalities. I was shocked that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that the number of alcohol-induced deaths, excluding accidents and homicides was 23,199. That shows the impact of alcohol loud and clear.

Sadly not all have noticed how serious of an issue drinking and driving can be, A less fortunate example of expanding technology is having an App for everything, literally. Fox News recently published a story about DUI Checkpoint Apps which provides other drivers with information about where a checkpoint may be to warn them to avoid that route when under the influence and driving. This encourages drinking and driving and is definitely not a way to make the roads safer.

I often hear my friends mention how Texas needs to lower the drinking age because minors drink anyway, or they get their older friends to buy it for them, or clubs don’t really care as long as they get their money, etc. While I see their point, I also wonder if they know why exactly the drinking age is set where it is and that the government didn’t set it at that age to be cruel. It was set there to protect us.