Posted May. 8, 2008
A mugshot of Lindsay Lohan has been prominently featured in an ad attacking legislation for devices that measure a driver's blood alcohol level before their vehicle can start. The 21-year-old actress has been in and out of rehab after two arrests last year on drunken driving and cocaine charges.
The full-page black-and-white ad appeared in USA Today on May 2 and was paid for by the American Beverage Institute, a trade group that supports the interests of the alcohol industry. The ad reads, "Ignition interlocks are a good idea for" above Lohan's mugshot from a July, 2007 arrest and "But a bad idea for us" above smaller photos of people drinking.
American Beverage Institute managing director Sarah Longwell said Lindsay Lohan's mugshot was used because she's had multiple high-profile DUIs.
"We needed to create a public distinction of what someone with multiple DUIs looked like versus a low blood-alcohol-level first-time offender."
Lawmakers in several states have passed bills that would require drunken driver offenders to pay for and install an ignition interlock system. Under many such laws, the interlock requirement extends to first-time offenders driving while "highly intoxicated"--or with a blood-alcohol-level of 0.15 percent or higher.
The ad suggested that such devices were fine for "hard-core" drunk drivers, but would bring an end to champagne toasts at weddings, wine at dinner and ballgame beers.
Lohan's lawyer, Blair Berk, criticized USA Today for running "such an irresponsible advertisement suggesting that drinking and driving is some kind of American 'tradition' we should protect. Not identifying that this was an ad paid for by the liquor and restaurant industries is profoundly reckless." He said that Lindsay Lohan fully endorses ignition interlock devices, which have been well-proven to save lives.
Reached for comment, USA Today spokesman Ed Cassidy issued a statement: "Advocacy advertising is a big part of what we do. Our pages function as a forum for competing views."
The American Beverage Institute stood by its use of the image. (Associated Press)
