Malt Liquor Beers, and the People Who Drink Them, are Different
The only malt liquor I remember ever drinking was called Colt 45… Do they still make it?.. When I was a teenager and we got our hands on cheap booze… It was usually cheap fortified wine like Thunderbird or Wild Irish Rose… Today …I’m a confirmed Tequila Man… High end of course!!
Malt Liquor Beer (MLB) has a higher alcohol content by volume compared to other beers, are typically sold in larger containers, and are priced lower by volume. MLBs have also historically been targeted at lower-income, minority communities. A study in the March issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research has found that MLB drinkers are more likely to be homeless, unemployed, receive public assistance, and tend to drink more alcohol, more often, than other types of drinkers.
MLB drinkers reported significantly higher rates of daily or near daily drinking, drinks per day on drinking days, and daily average alcohol consumption; MLB drinkers were also more likely to smoke while drinking, drink with same-sex friends, and drink outdoors.
MLBs are largely targeted to African American and Hispanic youth, and young adults. “Malt liquor brands such as Steel Reserve, Hurricane, Magnum, and Panther are used by the alcohol industry to connote power and machismo and lure youth and young adults into the market. Rap artists have been popular images in malt liquor advertising and ‘gangsta’ rap performers portray malt liquor as a sign of masculinity.
“Malt Liquor Beers can be sold in containers as large as 40-ounce bottles, or ‘forties’ as they are referred to,” Forties’ are commonly sold chilled and wrapped in brown paper bags for immediate consumption, and independent web sites devoted to malt liquor as well as rap lyrics and movie scripts encourage ‘chugging’ the bottles before they get warm. The combined effects of higher alcohol content, larger serving size, and faster consumption can result in higher blood alcohol levels, an increased risk of aggressive behavior, and other alcohol-related problems.”are likely to be more attractive to lower-income drinkers. In addition, advertising and popular culture references to MLBs are more prevalent in media that is likely to be seen or used by African Americans. In short, south Los Angeles seemed to fit the profile we needed.”
Information | TheFourEyes December 7, 2007
