Slowly, Softly Weakening Women

Slowly, Softly Weakening Women documents the rise of alcoholism among girls and women. The book also summarizes some of the dire consequences of developing the habit of drinking, even if the amount drunk seems modest. The development of alcohol abuse and alcoholism among women is aided by the marketing of the alcohol beverage industries, Big Booze. Big Booze is similar in its characteristics to Big Tobacco; both consist of transnational companies marketing drugs inducing some measure of pleasure which, in turn, can be instrumental in establishing habits that have harsh consequences. A problem is that the potential pleasures of drinking are experienced just after drinking; whereas dire consequences are delayed. The delayed and accumulated dire consequences are implied in the term slowly in the book’s title. The softly part of the title characterizes the marketing and public relations of Big Booze as they use their scientifically honed marketing talents toward even young girls. Big Booze skillfully markets alcoholic beverages knowing that they must do this softly, implying that by buying their products one achieves a measure of sophistication, independence, romance, and being a part of a desirable social group. They skillfully build positive expectations about drinking which serves as a placebo-effect inducing positive feelings; a potentially minor effect, but one they can manipulate nearly continuously. Big Booze skillfully masks the dire consequences hazardous drinking. Big Booze does this while denying that they do so. They reveal their intent when they characterize some of their products as “drinks of initiation,” “cocktails with training wheels” or “chick drinks.” The book reiterates: ethanol is more toxic to women than men. When women drink the same amount of ethanol, more of it reaches their brains than men, hence more toxicity. The book also explores the possibility that certain features of women’s physiology may enhance their appetite for alcoholic beverages. When social restrictions are no longer in place dampening women’s drinking, the increased toxicity and increased potential for having a high appetite for alcohol combine to set the stage for a high incidence of alcoholism among young women and, eventually, mothers and grandmothers. The book was written for young women and for those who love them. It provides useful information for dealing with tempting opportunities that might seem to have good outcomes but which are ultimately highly risky. The book provides information useful in making smart choices about alcoholic beverages, but also useful information about other choices characteristic of modern life in prosperous countries. The book provides useful information relevant to the prevention and treatment of alcoholism and related appetitive problems. The authors of this book firmly believe that the information contained in it is not readily available to young women and those who love them. The authors also firmly believe that the information is valuable, maybe even life-saving. Women in their roles as girl-friends, mothers and grandmothers have traditionally been a stable force that has sustained well-organized, happy societies and buffered the harshness of poorly managed societies. The authors firmly believe that the rise of alcoholism among girls and young women is a threat to the wholesomeness that women have contributed for the greater good. There is surely a limit to the number of drunken mothers and grandmothers (and drunken fathers and grandfathers, of course) before a society suffers beyond the individual suffering of the drinkers themselves. Big Booze is targeting young women as their new, best costumers. Today, girls and young women are regularly drinking more than older men (those traditionally at high risk of alcoholism). No one wants to grow up to be an alcoholic. Yet, alcoholism is on the rise among girls and young women. Such circumstances are slowly, softly weakening women.