We all see numerous ads every day and don't think about it. Instead of reading them, we simply look at them for what they are, perhaps colorful, full of funny and catchy words or phrases, and images plastered on billboards, magazines, newspapers, etc. Listening to my English teacher I realized that the ads are advertising much more than they claim to do, especially the ones about alcohol. In my essay on "false advertising" I delved into how alcohol advertisements send subliminal messages to certain groups of people in society. It was a little difficult to explain the messages behind the ads, but once you understand it, it's amazing to see what was discovered! Alcohol is a drug, no matter how we look at it. Even at low doses it significantly impairs our judgment and coordination, and these are only the short-term effects. Long-term effects include permanent damage to vital organs, high blood pressure, sexual dysfunction, or even several types of cancer. We didn't sit through all those long, boring health lectures discussing drugs and alcohol for nothing, did we? Well, if we know these things why do we continue to drink alcohol, causing possible harm to ourselves and others if not consumed responsibly. One answer I have discovered is advertising in magazines, newspapers and television. How many times do I have to flip through a magazine and see a woman with a bottle or can of beer in her hand or sitting next to her? The women have absolutely no connection with the sale of alcohol and yet they are still there in those photos, why? Advertisers put them there on purpose to attract the attention of men. The ads don't say this, but a sexy woman with a soda can... in the middle of a sheet of paper... Once someone chooses to pick up a bottle or can of alcohol and takes a sip, there's no going back backwards . They may have made a decision that will impact the rest of their life. It's unfair for advertisers to use people and things we admire and care about to convey these false perceptions about alcohol, but they do it anyway. Advertisers are one of the reasons why people suffer not only from alcoholism, but also from obesity and poor nutrition. They are suggesting that we are weak and that their products could make us feel better, look better, or even be better people, but the only person who can determine this about us is ourselves. Even if they are not the ones who put the bottle in our hands, it is always good to be informed about what we buy and put in our bodies. As the ancient Latins would say, “Caveat emptor”, or “Let the buyer beware.”