Should Erectile Dysfunction Ads Be Banned?
May 7, 2009 by Peggy Rowland
Filed under Women's Health
Representative Jim Moran wants erectile dysfunction (ED) ads banned from broadcast radio and TV between 6 am and 10 pm. He’s introduced a bill hoping to do just that. Moran wants the ads declared indecent by the FCC.
The problem here is that kids are asking grown-ups what ED is. If I were a kid, I’d be a bit mystified by those commercials as well.
While I’d certainly like to see far fewer ED ads on TV, I’m wondering about the true motivations behind this bill.
Could it be that some men, who never had to worry about constant maxi pad or yeast infection commercials, are now embarrassed? Are advertisers finally treating the sexes equally by making men squirm too?!? Perhaps they feel what it’s been like to walk in our shoes all these years, putting up with far too many personal ads on TV. Maybe if the bill were introduced by a woman, I wouldn’t be so skeptical.
My other hesitation to see the ads banned is that I’m a big fan of free speech. Is it really fair to allow the incessant cholesterol-lowering drug commercials, but no commercials for ED? I don’t think so. The ads, although very annoying, are discreet enough.
Perhaps the problem of kids asking what erectile dysfunction is can be solved by the advertisers simply not saying that phrase. Come on people. We ALL know what Viagra does.
What do you think about the potential ban on ED ads?
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I think you make a good point, but at the same time I think we need to also focus on birth control commercials of sorts.
What I’m saying is if kids are old enough to understand why they would need birth control then they are certainly old enough to understand that some men have problems with ED.
Scott, are you saying we need birth control commercials or not?
when cable t.v. was first introduced. we paid for it to escape commercials. Now even though we pay for our cable or satellite , we have to endure excessive commercials. I never have agreed with the commercials regarding personal hygene, hemoroids, or e.d. , mainly due to the way they are scripted. If they could just advertise ,without all the drama I wouldn’t mind so much.
This is the thing; birth control is important and we know it’s there. As parents its our duty to talk to our kids about birth control, the morning after pill and all that stuff to include contraceptives.
Any sexual related commercials should not be shown during children’s programming of cartoons, etc. whether it’s on cable TV or network television.
I don’t necessarily feel that any of these commercials should be banned but I agree that they should stick to a time frame of adult (not like XXX Adult, but grown-up adult) oriented programming.
Erectile dysfunction ads should be limited for sure. This is kind of adult ads and has to be regulated in appropriated way.