Bottomless Pitchers ; the Flow of Alcohol Ads and Cheap-Drink Specials Aimed at College Students May Be One Factor in High Rates of Binge Drinking

Beginning of article

Amid pomp and ceremony, students filed into Cox Arena at San Diego State University to hear stirring speeches, collect diplomas - and get one last burst of beer advertising.

While listening to messages about graduates' goals last week, the audience took in another message from beer banners on the scoreboard overhead: It was Miller time.

No alcohol was allowed during the ceremony, of course, but the Miller Brewing Co. can afford to be patient. Its distributor has a contract to display signs in Cox and at the school's baseball stadium until 2012. In addition, Anheuser-Busch has a contract at the football stadium.

Alcohol advertising has long been a fixture …