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The new analysis by the RAND Corporation shows the ingenuity of alcohol marketers in exposing British teenagers to alcohol promotion, both on television and now in their new skills in the use of social media.
Damage to public health by exterior environmental pollution is dealt with through laws that ensure that the “polluter pays”. Those causing damage to our internal environment should be dealt with by an extension of the same laws. The alcohol industry should pay the NHS bills of over £1.5 billion for treating those conditions solely attributable to the use of alcohol and this might influence their advertising behaviour. The industry's ingenuity could doubtless be employed to devise a scheme for ensuring fair distribution of the cost among their members, perhaps in proportion to the profits they make. Small concerns would make small contributions. An industry devised and administered scheme would avoid costs falling on the taxpayer.
Per capita alcohol consumption has fallen steeply in recent years. It is now at the 1990 level and almost back at the 1979 level, when alcohol was consumed mainly by the male population. There is not a crisis.
It's a long time since I read something as depressing as a call for a complete ban on alcohol advertising. How, for example, would new micro breweries bring their beers to the attention of the public? What would constitute advertising? Books about great beers of the world? You are advocating something akin to a Taliban State.
Depressing, thoroughly depressing, and ultimately futile. The internet cannot be controlled and people cannot be prevented from making their own alcoholic drinks. Taxpayers' money would be better spent trying to make hospitals less dangerous places.
Re: Alcohol marketing: grooming the next generation
The new analysis by the RAND Corporation shows the ingenuity of alcohol marketers in exposing British teenagers to alcohol promotion, both on television and now in their new skills in the use of social media.
Damage to public health by exterior environmental pollution is dealt with through laws that ensure that the “polluter pays”. Those causing damage to our internal environment should be dealt with by an extension of the same laws. The alcohol industry should pay the NHS bills of over £1.5 billion for treating those conditions solely attributable to the use of alcohol and this might influence their advertising behaviour. The industry's ingenuity could doubtless be employed to devise a scheme for ensuring fair distribution of the cost among their members, perhaps in proportion to the profits they make. Small concerns would make small contributions. An industry devised and administered scheme would avoid costs falling on the taxpayer.
Competing interests: No competing interests