Put a cork in it

Lotta Dann, Blueprint for Learning Project Lead, has a clear message: curb alcohol marketing now.

Don’t let the alcohol industry muddy the waters with their usual rhetoric. All the public health experts will tell you that lowering the price, reducing the number of outlets, and limiting marketing are the three evidence-proven ways to reduce alcohol harm. NOT drinker education! (no amount of telling me about standard drink sizes was ever going to stop me from drinking huge amounts).

First, we need to hit the marketing. Booze ads are everywhere—social media, streaming platforms—at all hours, targeting everyone, including kids. These ads paint alcohol as harmless fun and a positive thing to have in your life. They ignore the fact that this is a toxic, addictive, carcinogenic drug. We shouldn’t let advertising run wild, misleading people about the real damage alcohol causes.

I’d also like to see outlets limited – particularly supermarkets. It’s not so much about alcohol in supermarkets being triggering for people who are trying to cut back (although that is also true), it’s about the message it sends—placing alcohol right next to daily groceries like it’s a household staple. It’s not. And it’s far from harmless. We know the harm it causes right throughout our communities.

Price – I always say let’s leave that alone for now so the moderate drinkers don’t push back and resist changes to our alcohol regulations. We need moderate drinkers onboard with regulatory changes that will support those who are struggling. Raising prices can come later. For now, stop the ads and pull alcohol out of supermarkets.

You can learn more about Lotta Dunn and Blueprint for Learning here