Home > Psychiatrists want total booze ad ban.

[Irish Health] , Hunter, Niall Psychiatrists want total booze ad ban. (12 Sep 2010)

External website: http://www.irishhealth.com/article.html?id=17868

Psychiatrists have reiterated their call for a complete ban on alcohol advertising.

The College of Psychiatry of Ireland said there is a need for a ban on alcohol advertising and sponsorship in Ireland to protect children and adolescents.

The alcohol industry’s self-regulatory group responsible for monitoring compliance with advertising had found multiple breaches of the code where children were exposed to alcohol advertisements, but there were no consequences to these breaches,” said Dr William Flannery, Chair of the College’s Faculty of Addiction Psychiatry.

The College highlighted a 2009 survey from the ESPAD (European School Project on Alcohol and other Drugs) which showed that the vast majority of Irish 15-16 year olds (86%) had experimented with alcohol.

“The findings referred to the remarkable large percentage (21%) of children in primary school, who have tried alcohol. A worrying seven per cent reported being drunk for the first time by the age of 12,” Dr Flannery said.

The College of Psychiatry said self-regulation of alcohol advertising by the industry has failed, and alcohol use amongst children and adolescents continued without restriction. It said it is the Government's duty to protect young people from this form of exploitation.

 

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