Scepticism over alcohol awareness messages as national campaign launches

A number of reports and medical professionals have recently raised further questions over the effectiveness of campaigns warning against the risks of excessive drinking. A recent BBC story announced that campaigns have 'the wrong focus' as they do not recognise the harm being caused from older drinkers at home as they highlight only the risks of young binge drinkers.

A Guardian article also warned that binge drink scare tactics 'do not work', citing research from the University of Bath. Dr Andrew Bengry-Howell  has called for the government to take a more realistic approach to communicating messages around alcohol:

'A more sensible approach would be to say to people, "We know you are going to drink to get drunk, so make sure you do not do it very often",' said Bengry-Howell. 'Or helping them to plan a night out so that it is safer, or suggesting they drink soft drinks in between alcoholic ones. Not just lecturing them about the number of units, because the guidelines are so low.'

Today the launch of the government's national alcohol harm reduction campaign which continues the previous Know Your Limits campaigns, with a shift in focus to people drinking at home.  TV ads will start tonight; see one of them at the Guardian, here.