Have you ever stopped to wonder how many alcohol ads you encounter in a day—on the bus or on TV, at the movies or a sports stadium? What about how many alcohol products—like the much-discussed Dunkin’ Spiked drinks—are styled to look like their nonalcoholic counterparts? How about how much less you’d drink if you weren’t constantly bombarded with all those alcohol advertisements?

The tactics used by alcohol companies to sell their products—and how alcohol advertisements may target youth—are a big focus of David Jernigan’s research. A Boston University School of Public Health professor of health law, policy, and management, his goal is to raise awareness of alcohol as a public health hazard. The way it’s advertised, sold, talked about, and idealized, he says, can lead to increased rates of car accidents, substance use disorder, and mortality—risks that are exacerbated in underage drinkers.

For the latest episode of Explain This!, host Alene Bouranova sat down for a conversation with Jernigan, asking him how underregulated alcohol marketing can compromise collective safety, and what can be done to prevent further damage .

Read the full story on the The Brink: https://www.bu.edu/articles/2024/do-a...

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Video chapters:
0:00 Introduction of Explain This!
0:32 Overview of the alcohol industry
1:00 Introducing Boston University School of Public Health professor, David Jernigan
1:37 David Jernigan's research background
2:07 Why should the public care about alcohol policy and marketing?
2:48 Dangers of irresponsible alcohol marketing
4:30 Alcohol manufacturing companies having a corporate responsibility
5:49 Dunkin' Spiked Drinks: The marketing behind them
7:13 The problems behind marketing spiked seltzers
9:06 How can we advocate against this alcohol marketing?
10:03 What changes to alcohol laws would this BU expert make?
11:26 Is teenage drinking a major concern?
14:47 Final thoughts
16:29 Outro