Alcohol advertising is aggressive and linked to youth drinking, research finds
Alcohol advertising is aggressive and linked to youth drinking, research finds
The Guardian
Melissa Davey
Leading health researchers from around the world including Australia have presented the strongest evidence to date that alcohol advertising is at times aggressive and reaching children, and is associated with youth drinking.
The National Alliance for Action on Alcohol, a coalition of more than 40 Australian health and community organisations, say the findings prove that self-regulation by the alcohol industry has failed.
The alliance co-chair, Michael Moore, said the series of peer-reviewed studies should provide enough evidence to federal, state and territory governments to legislate to ban alcohol marketing from public property and locations where young people are likely to see it.
Moore said the commonwealth government should close a regulatory loophole that allows alcohol advertising to be shown during televised sport. Alcohol sponsorship of sport, music and cultural events should also be phased out, Moore said.
“The takeaway from this research is that marketing of alcohol is out of control and it’s time for us to recognise the harm that’s occurring and to take a sensible approach regarding alcohol marketing,” Moore said.