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DrugScreening.org


 
WHO to Launch Campaign Against Harmful Drinking
May 27, 2008

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News Summary

Saying that the "harmful use of alcohol causes serious public-health problems," the World Health Organization (WHO) says it will devise an international plan to address issues like binge drinking and alcohol marketing, Reuters reported May 22.

The plan would be veiled in two years and include advice on alcohol marketing, pricing, distribution, and public awareness, WHO officials said. A similar strategy on tobacco use resulted in a global treaty calling for stronger warning labels for cigarettes and limits on tobacco advertising.

WHO said that alcohol problems cause 3.7 percent of all mortality worldwide and a host of social problems. "Drinking to intoxication and heavy episodic drinking are frequent among adolescents and young adults, and the negative impact of alcohol use is greater in younger age groups of both sexes," the agency noted.

The Global Alcohol Policy Alliance praised the WHO announcement but said that the alcohol industry should not be allowed to influence the report. The Global Alcohol Producers Group said it planned to work with WHO to reduce "irresponsible and inappropriate consumption."

COMMENTS ON THIS ARTICLE:

Posted by Hiawatha on 02 Jun 08 09:46 AM EDT
Thank you for coming on board to fight this issue. We need to realize that the advertisements would not be possible if we (the community members) would come together and get them out of the stores, and the magazsines and off of the television screens. We need to know how powerful we are together. The youth are just doing what we allow them to do.

Posted by Audine Haynes on 28 May 08 03:49 PM EDT
This sounds like a good plan. Underage drinking is a serious problem for both youth and adults. Some adults contribute to the problem and in the long run that hurts all of us in many ways. Mississippi

Posted by Marsha Lyon on 28 May 08 01:28 PM EDT
Youth who see more alcohol advertisements on average drink more. I work for an environment free of high-risk alcohol marketing that targets youth.

Posted by Dawn on 28 May 08 12:45 PM EDT
I believe this is an adult problem not a youth problem. How are our youth getting alcohol? We need to teach our youth to not be tricked by alcohol marketing into thinking it's cool for underage kids to drink excessively.

Posted by Gary Scheppke on 28 May 08 11:09 AM EDT
Number one on my agenda is to ban advertising, target marketing to youths, including sponserships, and the creation of so called pop alcohlic beverages. G

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