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Abstract
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Alcohol health harm remains at an unacceptably high level in many countries including in Scotland where, as elsewhere in Europe and North America, alcohol specific deaths rose during the COVID-19 pandemic as consumption increased in those already drinking heavily.1,2,3,4
The Scottish Government recently undertook a public consultation on possible measures to restrict alcohol advertising and promotion,5 which (along with reducing affordability via taxation and minimum unit pricing and restricting availability via licensing laws) is recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) as one of the three 'best buys' to reduce alcohol harm. These proposals were welcomed by health campaigners (including Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems, a coalition of the medical royal colleges and faculty of public health in Scotland which is hosted by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh) but vigorously opposed by the drinks industry and some sporting bodies. The government is currently analysing the consultation responses with a view to bringing forward concrete proposals within this parliamentary term. So what is the evidence?
The evidence linking alcohol marketing to consumption and harm is strongest in young people and those in recovery from alcohol use disorder. Exposure to alcohol marketing is causally associated with the initiation of drinking, an increase in alcohol consumption (including binge drinking) and an increased risk of relapse for those in recovery.6-12 There are also good grounds to assume an effect on the general population. With global investment in alcohol marketing expected to exceed £7.7 billion in 2023,13 most people are exposed to high volumes of alcohol marketing, and there is evidence linking such exposure to increased consumption, often through the targeting of heavy drinkers and recruitment of new drinkers...
Language: en |