Who is more powerful: lawmakers or corporations?

Analysing statements is one of the major tasks of philosophy: it helps us to think clearly and precisely. Thinking clearly and precisely is regarded as more important because we cannot be free and have a democratic society if we have never learned to think clearly.

I am going to analyse two prevalent health warnings found in most alcohol beverages in South Africa, which I believe are harmful and misleading and may escape an ordinary reader or drinker:

1. "Alcohol abuse is dangerous to your health". This health warning is misleading and dangerous because it contains a hidden assumption, that is, if you do not abuse alcohol, it is not dangerous to your health. But the truth is whether you abuse it or not alcohol is still harmful to your health. In addition, the source of the claim that alcohol abuse is dangerous is not specified. Obviously, this makes for a stronger warning, since the danger of alcohol abuse is presented as 'a fact' rather than as an opinion of one person.

2. "Drinking reduces driving ability. Don't drink and drive", this warning is, more or less, misplaced because it has nothing to do with health but with accidents.

This warning would be more suitable as a large road sign rather than on alcohol beverages.

It further contains a hidden assumption as well- it assumes that all the people who drink have cars and implies that if you do not have one, you can drink as much as you want: nothing will happen to you.

Both these examples are about the same thing: alcohol beverages. But they have different warnings or wordings. Why?

We have to assume that these differences in wordings on alcohol beverages are in some way deliberate choices.

Lawmakers spend a great deal of time writing and debating legislation to require this warnings and alcohol companies spend a great deal of time and money trying to get lawmakers to make them less menacing, for example according to WHO, Ireland's alcohol content message will be effective from 2026. "Drinking alcohol causes liver disease", implying that whether you abuse it or not drinking causes liver disease.

Contrary to the South African one which says "Alcohol 'abuse' is dangerous to your health"

And also according to WHO, as from 2026, Uzbekistan alcohol beverages content massage will be "Alcohol abuse leads to severe diseases of internal organs and nervous system", although this one contains a hidden assumption but it is somehow menacing- "Alcohol abuse leads to severe diseases of internal organs and nervous system"; rather than the South African one which merely says "Alcohol abuse is dangerous to your health".

Looking at such warnings, then, can tell us not just about the 'ideology' around drinking and health in South Africa or in a particular country but also about who is more powerful: lawmakers or corporations.

THABANG MAZIBUKO | Durban

The views expressed here are not necessarily those of Independent Media or IOL.

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