** PUBLIC POST **
For discussion.
Flasks under fire
RETAIL | Cutie designs, labels stress booze -- proof positive the containers encourage minor girls to drink, groups say
January 23, 2009
BY CHERYL V. JACKSON cjackson@suntimes.com
Anti-juvenile drinking forces are calling on a Hoffman Estates-linked accessories company to stop selling flasks at its stores across the country.
Icing by Claire's, a subsidiary of tween accessory shop chain Claire's Stores Inc., sells flasks printed with girl-friendly designs, chains and charms, raising concerns of groups who say having the flasks in stores that target girls as young as 17 indicates an acceptance of underage drinking.
"Anything that promotes the perception that alcohol use is acceptable with young people is really disturbing," said Elizabeth Nelson, community health specialist at the Lake County Health Department. We need to give consistent messages that alcohol use is not allowed and that it's illegal at their age."
Youth are increasingly choosing harder liquor, such as rum and tequila, over beer and wine to facilitate getting drunk quicker, Nelson said.
Girls, in particular, are drinking more and at younger ages, said Janet Williams, co-chairman of the Illinois Coalition to Stop Underage Drinking, which fired off a letter this week to Claire 's, asking it to the stop the practice. "In many cases, the girls are outdrinking the boys, putting themselves at greater risks," she said.
In the 1960s, about 7 percent of 10- to 14-year-old girls used alcohol; by the early 1900s, about 31 percent did so, a federal study found.
In 2007, Claire's gave in to protests over its sales of flasks carrying the phrase "Class of 2007," removing that design from shelves, while maintaining the item was intended for college seniors. A representaive last week said he was not aware of any concerns about the products in the stores.
Most flask styles hold 5 ounces and cost about $12.50. A one-shot keychain style carries initials, holds about 1 ounce and costs about $8.50.
Labels on some of the flasks stress that they are designed to carry alcoholic drinks and should not be used for fruit juices or other beverages with acidic content. Each carries a disclaimer that the product is not intended for minors.
The Florida-based Claire's, which operates about 3,000 stores in the U.S. and Europe and which has its buying and distribution offices in Hoffman Estates, is not the only retailer to come under fire recently for peddling flasks. Parent groups have protested the sales of flip-flops that have flasks built into their heels. In 2007, Nordstrom agreed to stop selling the shoes after receiving complaints from a prevention and treatment group. The company has since discontinued manufacturing the product.
http://www.suntimes.com/business/1393120,CST-FIN-flasks23.article#
Alexander McQueen
This should fall into the same class as 'bong" pipes, and the like.
1lol I can't think of a single college senior that would exclaim, "omigod! I would love a flask keychain!! These are so awesome!!"
For the article, I didn't really understand this statistic: "In the 1960s, about 7 percent of 10- to 14-year-old girls used alcohol; by the early 1900s, about 31 percent did so, a federal study found."
2It seems backwards. Did they mean early 2000s?
hi, I suspect that should have been 1990's.
Not my typo, strictly cut-and-paste.
And you're right, that's a lame, transparent excuse.
Grandpa: IMO this is worse than bongs, because they're more widely available and designed to be "cute".
3Underage drinking pisses me off. *grumblegrumble*
4Let's see...I stopped shopping at Claire's when I was about 16 or 17. They can only be marketing it to the tween and early teen set. This is craziness!
foxie - I will admit that I drank very regularly when I was underage and of course then I thought it was no big deal. But as I get older and see how most teenagers act underage drinking has really started to bother me.
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Hope is what you offer people when you have nothing more substantial. - Lainetm
5meh. "underage" is reference to the laws of the country in question only. I would think the USA would show some of the highest numbers for underage drinking, only because the drinking age is so ridiculously high.
14 years old is too young to be buying flasks for hard liquor, but I think if we lessened the taboo around alcohol, we could raise children to have a healthier relationship with it. The drinking-to-get-drunk thing is such an unhealthy & self-destructive goal, but it's the relationship society nourishes & encourages with its restrictions for the substance.
6Legal age is actually irrelevant in this article. The company is promoting paraphernalia for drinking hard alcohol to middle-school and high-school-aged girls (their customer base). That is unhealthy regardless of the local laws.
The drinking age for the UK:
16 and over - "may purchase beer, porter, cider, or perry with a meal in an eating area on licensed premises (In Scotland wine also)"
www.erowid.org/chemicals/alcohol/alcohol_law2.shtml
Otherwise, it's 18. They also have horrendous problems with underage drinking and alcoholism, and related medical problems.
BBC News, April 2007:
"Britain should consider making the legal drinking age 21 as it has "lost the plot" when it comes to regulating alcohol, policy pundits claim.
"The UK has one of the worst problems in Europe with a fifth of children aged 11 to 15 drinking at least once a week."
news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6551887.stm
7Health problems/difficult brain development and function is a huge reason why I think underage drinking is bad. Hello pancreatitis! I have pancreatitis (medication induced - that talk is for another day) and let me tell you it is not fun at all. The pain is horrible and especially scary when you don't know what it is or if you'll make it. Alcohol induced pancreatitis has more long term effects than what I have and it can easily be prevented.
Many a soul went to rehab before the 12th grade around here. It's just sad.
The younger ages are much more impressionable and a lot just want to be popular. When I was in HS, that's all you did if you wanted to be popular.
8"This should fall into the same class as 'bong" pipes, and the like."
What class is that?
9organic, to facilitate, and make drug paraphernalia to look cool, but I know that your question had to be rhetorical.
10I don't know, because I live in Canada I was allowed access to alcohol at a younger age, and it was weird to visit the USA and have that privilege removed. By the time I turned 21, I was well over drinking for the sake of getting drunk on a regular basis (though the odd birthday party every few months has resulted a some shameful hangovers at least three times a year). I can't speak on behalf of my peers though -- I have plenty of friends, some even approaching 30 that still make the bar a regular weekend stop.
I would still argue that the fact that alcohol can be enjoyed responsibly, is evidence that it is the relationship with it at fault in its misuse, not the substance itself. I think there is a way to raise children so that they don't feel motivated to murder their livers at every opportunity.
The drinking statistics of 10-14 year olds begs the questions: where did they get the alcohol? where are they drinking? It also vaguely states that they had "used" alcohol -- for all we know, they could have been given a glass of watered down wine at Christmas dinner, it doesn't necessarily mean they were drinking recklessly at a party. I think the context is very important here.
11I find it hilarious that in the U.S.A. you are mature enough to vote responsibly, but not mature enough to drink responsibly. The hypocrisy is astounding.
12Yeah, I've never understood that Grandpa.
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Hope is what you offer people when you have nothing more substantial. - Lainetm
13Say, Grandpa, what do you say we make the drinking and the voting age the same: 25.
14Grandpa, bongs aren't just to make marijuana 'look cool', they've got a purpose. The smoke gets filtered through the water so that it's less harsh than when smoked through a pipe.
15I know, Michelin, I know.
16lainetm, and require that they can read and write at at least an 8the grade level, Lainetm.
17I guess I'm just having a hard time understanding what you're trying to say.
18Mich, I think the point is that flasks should be treated the same as bongs or other paraphernalia, legally speaking.
I have...er...read that some bongs are designed with attractive decorations and are not just basic functional items. Hence the "cool" factor.
19~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Conservative in exile
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