Trade urges government not to penalise sensible drinkers

The government should not crack down on alcohol misuse at the expense of sensible drinkers, claim trade associations.

On behalf of 15 trade associations, the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) has asked the government to focus on the minority of the population who misuse alcohol rather than intervening against the 41 million people who enjoy drinking moderately in the UK.

Its submission has been made in response to the government's National Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy, which will come into force in 2004 to tackle alcohol abuse.

The submission argues that while 90 per cent of people in the UK enjoy drinking alcohol without causing harm to themselves or others it is only the remaining 10 per cent who misuse alcohol.

The industry wants the government to implement the sensible drinking message through a national TV advertising campaign similar to its drink-driving campaign.

Mark Hastings, director of communications at the BBPA, said: "In our long-standing discussions with the government we have repeatedly stressed our belief that the sensible drinking message is a fundamental building block in an alcohol strategy - even when the focus is on the harm associated with alcohol misuse. It is an important tool to drive changes in attitude towards drunkenness which will have a long term measurable health benefit."

In the submission document the BBPA has assured the government that the trade remains committed to pushing the sensible drinking message and dealing with alcohol abuse through both crime and disorder partnerships and self-regulation.

The industry has also called for more research into the current laws on anti-social behaviour and crime and disorder to see if enforcement can be strengthened.

It is also calling for health centres to be open to heavy drinkers, the introduction of a standard international definition of an alcohol unit and a reduction in excise duty.

It believes this will reduce the stockpiling of alcohol in the home, which encourages under-18s to drink unsupervised.

The submission requests:​

• government policy should recognise that 90 per cent of people in the UK enjoy drinking alcohol without causing harm to themselves or others while it is only 10 per cent who misuse alcohol.
• government policy must focus on those who misuse alcohol
• a reduction in excise duty to discourage underage drinking in the home
• education through TV advertising
• licensing law reform to change the UK drinking culture.