Public health director calls for action to stop alcohol adverts aimed at children

Health experts in the borough of Rochdale are backing a campaign to restrict alcohol advertising in a bid to reduce the number of children harmed by underage drinking.

In 2008 there were 2,843 deaths among 15-24 year-olds in England and Wales, almost one in four (23 per cent) of which was due to alcohol.

Evidence shows that exposure to alcohol advertising is associated with the onset of drinking among young people and increased consumption among those who already drink (NICE 2010).

On 9 September a private member’s bill proposed by Dr Sarah Wollaston MP will be debated in Parliament, calling for restrictions on alcohol advertising in cinemas, on television and online.

Dr Jane Rossini, Rochdale Borough’s director of public health, said: “Alcohol-related hospital admissions continue to be too high for young people and for too long our kids have been bombarded by messages promoting alcohol.

“Action is needed now to stop the endless exposure of our children to alcohol marketing.

“Dr Wollaston’s proposals would mirror long-standing French legislation which allows advertising in newspapers, TV after 9pm, over 18 films and stop online advertising ploys such as ‘advergames’, which disguise alcohol promotion.

“I would urge anybody who is concerned about this to write to their MP to encourage him or her to attend the second reading and support Dr Wollaston.

“The Our Life campaign has put a simple link on their website, which has a simple letter you can easily send to your MP, complete with their contact details. It only takes two minutes to do and can be found at http://www.ourlife.org.uk/action_on_alcohol_marketing.”

In Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale the latest number of recorded hospital admissions due to alcohol for under-18s was 178 (cumulative 2006/07 to 2008/09).