Walking the Fine Line on Alcohol Articles
How to make the distinction between acceptable and unacceptable alcohol-related content in your articles.
Addressing the topic of alcohol or alcohol consumption in your articles is one of those subject areas that is fraught with potential misunderstandings. Your reader’s reaction to your article will be influenced by a variety of outside forces including religious upbringing, social status and cultural norms.
Because of this perceptual “gray area,” EzineArticles has created the following set of guidelines to help you better define the line that exists between acceptable and unacceptable article content.
Simply Stated: You are allowed to mention alcohol in your articles, but not allowed to promote the use of alcohol or heavy drinking.
Examples of Article Content that WOULD be Acceptable:
- Vacation Destinations – For example, fine coconut rum that is well known at a specific travel destination.
- Father’s Day Gift Suggestions – A tie, golf clubs, gift card, or a fine bottle of whiskey.
- Supplement to Treat Hangovers – “If you made the mistake of having one too many margaritas the night before, these 5 tips will help you to get back on your feet the next morning …”
- How to Make a Hat that Holds Alcoholic Beverages – “Pour the beer, wine, or your favorite mixed drink into the covered container and …”
- Recipes that use Alcohol – “Tequila Lime Chicken”
Examples of Article Content that Would NOT be Acceptable:
- How to Increase Your Tolerance of Alcohol – “Going back to college? It’s time to get prepared to hold your own at the parties…”
- Recipes for Alcoholic Beverages – Summer Hummer, Whiskey Iced Tea, Banana Daiquiri, etc.
- Supplement to Treat Hangovers – “Go ahead and overindulge with your favorite Gin and Tonics, there are 5 tips that will help you get back on your feet in the morning…”
- How to Make a Hat that Holds Alcoholic Beverages – “Get drunker than a skunk at your favorite sporting events and not spill a drop!”
Bottom Line: Any article that encourages the reader to drink alcohol will not be allowed.
We think the distinction is pretty clear. But if you’re still unsure, please leave a comment and we’ll try to clarify that fine line for you.
Well, for one thing, only a complete pig drinks scotch whisky on the rocks – unless you are drinking cheap supermarket brands, in which case the proper mixer is turps substitute. Here’s to your early recovery.
October 22, 2009 at 7:00 PM[Reply]
On-the-rocks (or “rock” – 2 cubes max) is a proper way for people in civilized countries to drink scotch.
For people who live in third-world countries (like Scotland), where ice is unavailable, Scotch is consumed “neat”, by necessity. Many Scotch enthusiasts drink it neat by choice. On-the-rocks or neat is a personal choice for most people in the civilized world. It has nothing to do with being a pig. One does not achieve “pig” status until one chooses to mix Scotch with soda, or worse (I have witnessed the consumption of Scotch and Coke!).
More to the point; the guidelines appear to me to be a cowardly surrender to the forces of prohibitionism, the real Evil Empire, the plague of the modern world. Kathy should be able to write about her favorite way to drink Scotch, without her article being flagged.
October 27, 2009 at 2:45 PM[Reply]