Beer and democracy?

It is always a pleasure after class, especially a stressful exam or test to go enjoy a cold beverage, most of all, beer! When you order beer, do you normally order a glass? Pint? Sleeve? (Well, of course, pitcher would be the best size!) Anyhow, have you ever been confused with the size categorization? I certainly attest that I have. I have definitely got some skimpy pours in smaller glasses before. I’m not alone. Beer lovers are protesting! “The Campaign for Real Ale Vancouver is putting pressure on B.C.’s bars and restaurants to con-fess to the real size of their draft beer servings”. It is said that “[b]y law, a pint in Canada is 20 ounces or 591 mL, but in practice few establishments serve a true pint, he said. So-called pints of beer typically range from 16 to 19.5 ounces, according to The Sun’s research.

All this measurement becomes vital in the discussion of alcohol content in relation to drinking and driving. Many have suggested that beers with higher alcohol content should be served in smaller portions. One respondent to the survey said that standardization is a public safety issue. “With the new tough drinking [and] driving laws you need to know whether you are getting 12 ounces or 20 of a seven-per-cent IPA,” he said.

All this is interesting, but how does it relate to democracy? I hereby pose a question, “Is it the state’s overstepping its authority in trying to control the drinking habits of people, the business tactics of bar owners? Or does it abide to the harm principle suggested by Mill? By the way, the harm principle is defined by Wikipedia, “The harm principle holds that the actions of individuals should only be limited to prevent harm to other individuals”. (Hooray to non-blackouts!) In a liberal democracy where everyone’s individualism is put on a pedestal, and is being honored, is it ok to control or monitor the drinking habits of individuals?

I argue that the government should standardize the measurements so as to ensure that consumers are being given what they paid for. However, I don’t think that a beer with a higher alcoholic content should be served merely in smaller sizes. The amount should be left for the consumers themselves to decide. However, the fact that this concern reached the news demonstrates that the democratic rights of individuals to expression their concern is a sign of a compliance with democratic principles.

Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/life/Beer+lovers+call+establishments+fess+their+serving+sizes/6031854/story.html#ixzz1kDimaJUV