#nofilter blog#nofilter: Is it possible to talk about alcohol responsibly?
05.09.2018

#nofilter: Is it possible to talk about alcohol responsibly?

It is fairly safe to say that alcohol has always been a contentious issue in Finland. The debate has been heated at times especially in recent years when alcohol laws have come under scrutiny.

Alcohol is a hot topic for many different spheres of society, as it has implications on at least our national economy, businesses, public health and individuals’ freedoms and obligations.

The way we talk about alcohol is not irrelevant, because the image we create in people’s minds shapes their reality. So how exactly should we to talk about such a multifaceted phenomenon in order to give as truthful a picture of it as possible? Is it possible to talk about alcohol responsibly?

Many different perspectives – but no extremes

In many ways, alcohol has become a part of everyday life: a glass of wine over lunch or a pint after work. On the other hand, alcohol costs society billions of euros. There are therefore at least cultural and health-related perspectives to take into consideration.

The two perspectives are not extremes of the same phenomenon. The truth does not lie somewhere in between the two perspectives and neither is one perspective more true than the other; both perspectives are equally true and equally valid representations of the phenomenon that is alcohol.

Examining a phenomenon from as many different perspectives as possible often produces the best result. Alcohol cannot be approached from just one angle but must be talked about taking into account all the different perspectives in order to provide a full picture of the phenomenon.

Customers have the right to know

In my opinion, any talk about a product that causes addiction and has harmful effects must be based on the premise that the customer needs to be given transparent information about what the product is and how it affects them. As much as people might want to only think about alcohol from a cultural perspective, its impacts on health cannot be denied nor concealed from customers. On the other hand, talking only about the effects that alcohol has on health does not portray the phenomenon truthfully either.

Alcohol has an impact on everyone who drinks it, but it also affects the world around us. Alcohol has social implications for families, for example, and there are thousands of children in Finnish homes who flinch every time they hear a cork pop. Alcohol production also puts a strain on the soil, and the impacts are therefore not limited to Finland.

So what does this mean from the perspective of communications? My belief is that if we combine the different perspectives of the phenomenon and transparency, we can create a dialogue. A dialogue benefits all those who take part in it and helps to further their common cause.

This is what I aim at in my communications and daily work. I try to be constructive and interactive but also open and truthful in what I say. I believe that this is a responsible way to talk about alcohol.

Ilari Ceder

The author is Alko’s Communications Manager

#nofilter

18.02.2022
Transparency in value creation is the starting point for ensuring a living wage in supply chains
A ‘living wage’ is a term that often crops up when people talk about responsibility in the supply chain. It is subject to a broad range of assumptions, expectations and opinions. And debates are not always grounded on facts. How is the value of a product sold in Finland formed? What kind of roles are to be found in the supply chain and who is responsible for ensuring that employees are paid a living wage?
24.09.2021
Rum – deliciously sugary sweet, with a challenging supply chain
Here in Finland, we often associate rum with hot drinks to warm you up on winter days. However, rum has its roots far from the snowy north – all the way back in the 15th-century Caribbean. At that time, rum was believed to have healing properties. It was consumed as a cure for tropical diseases. It has since been discovered that rum actually has the opposite effect – it is made from sugar cane, which is cultivated in conditions that are now known to cause CKDnT (Chronic Kidney Disease of undetermined causes) in plantation workers.
05.11.2020
Young people face conflicting pressures from different alcohol cultures
Families that move to Finland from different cultural and language backgrounds often run into the alcohol culture and habits of Finns – especially through the young members of the family – which may differ radically from the habits and customs of the parents.
07.09.2020
A mother with intoxicant abuse problems needs to be supported rather than blamed
Intoxicant use during motherhood is an emotionally volatile issue – it is often considered reprehensible for a mother to abuse intoxicants. For this reason, the threshold for seeking assistance can be high, even though it is crucially important for both the expectant mother and new child to get help.
17.05.2019
Alko at the Anti-substance Abuse Days – threat or opportunity?
This year, Alko decided to run its own stand at the Anti-substance Abuse Days to raise awareness of an important theme – FASD – in collaboration with the Finnish Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. However, here at Alko, the idea of participating did make us think. Can Alko promote FASD awareness in the way we’d like? Will taking part be a threat or an opportunity?
26.03.2019
Green choices for wine shopping
Concerns over the state of our planet have made many of us think about how we can be greener in our consumption choices. For instance, there has been much discussion about the impact of food choices on the environment. In addition to making sustainable choices for a dinner party, you can also be environmentally friendly in your wine picks. The next time you go shopping for festive beverages, take this three-point checklist with you.
21.03.2019
A good home is the best intoxicant education
No fewer than 47% of young people think that the desire for a healthy lifestyle reduces interest in drinking alcohol.
22.02.2019
Alcohol seeps into daily life without you noticing
I spent last year watching the world through “alcohol-aware glasses.”  I examined how people use alcohol, how they talk about it and how they illustrate it.
20.12.2018
If they start again
As the holidays approach, the children and young people’s helpline often receives calls from children whose Christmas spirit is rather low.
04.10.2018
Annoyed to buy a plastic bag?
I’m going shopping and realize midway that I’ve forgotten my shopper despite all the good intentions. At the checkout counter I buy a plastic bag even though it is annoying. Sounds familiar?
05.09.2018
Alcohol continues to play a large role in student culture
Although alcohol consumption has declined among young people since the turn of the millennium, many student events still revolve around alcohol.
Show more