The United States of Addiction

Temptations lie everywhere around us. Some may be good for us. Others may be detrimental not only to our judgment, but our health.

The products we see in public are getting more and more dangerous every day. We see advertisements for cigarettes, tobacco, and alcohol everywhere we look. The real question is, “Should companies be able to enforce harmful habits?” When people see this merchandise, they feel a sense of approval that what they have become addicted to is ‘not so bad’.

Not only do these advertisements blur the public’s sense of judgment, but they also plead for people to support their habits financially. Parents spend their income on upholding their addictions, such as alcoholism, instead of putting food on their children’s plates. Of course, they could have these habits without these advertisements; however these ads don’t help the cause of the person trying to quit. That is like going to an all-you-can-eat buffet while on a strict diet. If the temptation is placed before you, how can you be sure you won’t fall into its trap?

So, you may be thinking, “Adults are smart enough to ignore the enticement of these ads.” Okay, but what about the younger generations? If society encourages these actions, how will teens or even children know any better? Of course, we won’t see a ten-year-old trying to buy beer, but there are also other harmful things advertised. Take tanning beds and junk food for example. Girls always want to look good, even if it means risking skin cancer. They see beauty in the way society defines it and will do almost anything to achieve it. With unhealthy foods, it’s okay to eat them in moderation. Nevertheless, these foods are advertised as an ‘anytime snack’. Just driving down the road, you can count multiple chains that seem to be advertising a ‘Half-Cow Burger’. Our nation’s authorities launch health campaigns such as ‘Let’s Move!’ and ‘The Magic of Healthy Living’. They attempt to influence a fight to end obesity, only to find the public’s back turned to them with a heart-attack-in-a-bag waiting in America’s drive-thrus.

Even so, people really could just ignore the ads. But, it would make quitting such habits a lot easier if they weren’t shoved into their faces at every turn. Instead of billboards validating malignant habits, they could be endorsing irreproachable ones just as easily.

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