Scotland launches its first ever Alcohol Awareness Week

Published: 23 July, 2008

Retailers, producers, and the Scottish Government are launching a range of activities this week (October 21-27) in a bid to promote more responsible attitudes to alcohol.

Forth Valley NHS has launched a new advertising campaign inspired by the You Tube website to warn youngsters and their parents about the dangers of binge drinking.

The posters will appear on buses across the Forth Valley with the message You Tube! Don't be Next.'

The adverts are based on the website, which has been criticised for showing footage of youths drinking to excess.

The Scottish British Medical Association has also called on the Scottish Government to introduce compulsory labelling of alcohol limits and units on all alcoholic drinks, in a bid to crack down on binge drinking north of the Border.

The Scottish Retail Consortium is also calling for education to be put at the heart of plans to tackle the country's alcohol problems.

And the Scotch Whisky Association is running a nationwide series of activities under the banner "Does your drinking add up?

Whisky related-activities include:

A national TV advertising campaign highlighting the negative impact of excessive drinking;

Alcohol awareness workshops for employees;

Display of Awareness Week materials at industry sites and visitor centres;

Responsible drinking information sent to distillers, backed by individual company communications;

250,000 unit calculators' distributed across the industry.

Douglas Meikle SWA alcohol policy manager and member of the Alcohol Awareness Week steering group, said: "The Awareness Week is another step in trying to change Scotland's tolerance of alcohol misuse.

"Making inappropriate and excessive drinking unacceptable will require a sustained effort, continuing partnership, and a multi-faceted policy approach, ranging from better alcohol education to stricter enforcement of licensing laws."

Printer friendly version