DANGERS OF ATTRACTIVE ALCOHOL PACKAGING AND THE SC’S CONCERN: LALIT GARG

DANGERS OF ATTRACTIVE ALCOHOL PACKAGING AND THE SC’S CONCERN: LALIT GARG

29-NOV-ENG 14

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

ARA----------------------------The recent serious comments by the country's top court regarding alcohol packaging are not merely a legal intervention but a shocking warning to social consciousness. The court clearly stated that presenting alcohol in such an attractive and alluring manner is a threat to public health, as well as to culture and society. Shiny bottles, exotic designs, vibrant colors, and glamorous boxes—all these strategies have become a means of attracting people, especially young people and women, to alcohol. This misleading and commercialized packaging of alcohol poses a serious and new threat. This trend is not just a means of expanding the market but a profound attack on the health, morality, and mental balance of the entire society. The biased thinking and misleading packaging of alcohol companies that compromise public health are a criminal act. Alcohol sold in tetra packs resembling juice packs invites numerous dangers.

Today, when the country is grappling with problems like alcohol-related illnesses, accidents, violence, family breakdown, and depression, marketing alcohol in a "fashionable" manner poses a significant threat. Liquor companies have associated packaging with modernity, prestige, and style, leading young people to consider it an achievement. Socially and psychologically, this packaging creates the illusion that drinking alcohol is a symbol of modernity. In reality, alcohol in every form is a deadly poison for the body and mind. The deadly and harmful effects of alcohol are not hidden from anyone. It slowly erodes the body from within, pushing it into the dark alleys of addiction. Liver cirrhosis, heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer, mental imbalance, depression, and serious sleep problems are all direct consequences of alcohol consumption. Thousands of people who die in road accidents lose their lives due to drunk driving. The role of alcohol in domestic violence, crime, and family breakdown has long been proven. Therefore, serving alcohol in attractive packaging is like voluntarily sending people on a path to destruction. The Supreme Court has therefore expressed concern that the packaging of alcohol bottles should not distract consumers from the true harm caused. Warnings are often placed on the side of the bottle in a way that makes them invisible. Companies mask health warnings to promote the beauty of their products. This is not only unethical but also against the spirit of health policies. When the government has mandated bold and alarming warnings on tobacco, similarly stringent regulations should be applied to the packaging of alcohol, which in many cases has equally devastating health effects. A major reason for the growing acceptance of alcohol in society is that the alcohol industry has turned packaging into a means of attractive advertising. Where alcohol advertising is legally prohibited, companies resort to colorful bottles and beautiful boxes as a means of promotion. This is indirect advertising, which violates the spirit of the law and leads young people to addiction. Therefore, it is necessary to move towards plain, simple, and simple packaging, so that alcohol does not appear like a "luxury product," but rather its very appearance serves as a warning to the public. It's also worrying that the alcohol industry's sole objective is to increase sales, regardless of the impact it has on society. They don't see how many homes alcohol is ruining, how many people are falling ill, and how many lives are at risk. Legal action against this mindset is crucial. Banning glamorous alcohol packaging will not only increase consumer awareness but also create an important environment for de-addiction in society. Alcohol is a major source of revenue for governments, which is why governments also don't openly oppose alcohol. This Supreme Court warning should be seen as an important message not only for the industry, but also for the government, society, and families. Alcohol in any form is harmful to health, and selling it in a glamorous manner diminishes the value of human life. Today, there is a need to regulate alcohol packaging, make it simple and unattractive, include clear warnings, and stop the trend of giving alcohol a respectable place in society. The government should prioritize health safety and enact laws that limit the marketing tactics of the alcohol industry.

Today, the spread of alcohol is not only a health crisis but also a major cause of social and cultural disintegration. Alcohol-related crimes and violence have increased alarmingly, particularly in the areas of violence against women, including domestic violence, economic exploitation, and mental torture. Numerous studies show that alcohol plays a major role in nearly half of all violent incidents against women. Drunken men often abuse women due to family tensions, anger, and imbalance, which not only shatters their self-esteem but also forces the entire family to live in an environment of fear, insecurity, and humiliation. This impact of alcohol is not limited to a single community; it has spread from rural to urban, from the poor to the affluent, and society can no longer ignore it.

It is also a matter of concern that alcohol is no longer confined to bars and nightclubs. No, it's being served at social occasions—weddings, birthdays, office parties, festivals, and even small social gatherings. The way alcohol is being promoted by portraying it as "a part of socializing" and "a symbol of modernity" is indicative of a dangerous cultural shift. Younger generations in families, seeing their elders consume alcohol, begin to consider it normal, leading to the onset of alcohol consumption in adolescence. School and college students, influenced by fashion, pressure, imitating friends, and advertising-like packaging, are becoming addicted to alcohol. This generation is becoming weak both mentally and physically. Alcohol not only destroys their studies, careers, and thinking abilities, but also shakes the foundations of future families and society. These growing concerns can be addressed not only through legislation, but through social awareness, cultural reorientation, and responsible behavior within families.

Society can only be safe when we see alcohol as a symbol of destruction, not attraction. Its packaging should reflect warnings, not flashiness. Its consumption should be seen as a sign of weakness, not modernity. This awareness will only grow when laws are stricter and society is more vigilant. The Supreme Court's warning is a serious step in this direction; now it is the responsibility of the government and society to translate it into real reform.