Alcohol minimum pricing and marketing changes now inevitable says Alcohol Concern
Wednesday 02 June 2010
Alcohol Concern has welcomed guidance released today by The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) on preventing alcohol harms, in particular recommendations in support of minimum pricing and availability. The charity has also called on the recommendations to strengthen controls on alcohol marketing to take place immediately.
The NICE recommendation for a minimum price on alcohol is just the latest public expression of support from health professionals, campaigners and members of the alcohol industry for this measure as a necessary step in tackling alcohol misuse in the UK.
Don Shenker, Alcohol Concern Chief Executive said:
“With practically every health body in the country now backing the move on alcohol minimum pricing, the new government needs to accept the evidence and introduce a minimum price urgently before thousands more lives are affected. Government should also act immediately to ensure children’s exposure to alcohol advertising is a low as possible, by overhauling advertising regulations which purport to protect children, but actually leave children saturated with alcohol advertising on a daily basis.
“NICE have found evidence that alcohol marketing increases young people’s consumption of alcohol, it seems untenable for the current codes to stay in place when so many children are now drinking more than ever before.”
ENDS
Notes for Editors
- Don Shenker, Chief Executive of Alcohol Concern, is available for interview. Contact 020 7264 0514 or 07588 117 849.
- The full report, Alcohol-use disorders: preventing harmful drinking is available on the NICE website .
- Alcohol Concern’s 2009 report, ‘The price is right: protecting communities through action on alcohol sales’ that investigates the relationship between the price of alcohol, consumption levels and alcohol-related harm is available from the charity’s website.
- Alcohol Concern is the national agency on alcohol misuse campaigning for effective alcohol policy and improved services for people whose lives are affected by alcohol-related problems.
- Alcohol Concern is a membership body working at a national level to influence alcohol policy and champion best practice locally. We support professionals and organisations by providing expertise, information and guidance. We are a challenging voice to the drinks industry and promote public awareness of alcohol issues.