Alcohol advertising on social media needs to be regulated

The Alcohol Forum will launch Ireland’s first Alcohol Awareness Week from 18 to 22 March, this aims to raise public knowledge of the country’s excessive drinking culture.  Fine Gael Senator Deirdre Clune would like to welcome this initiative and has written to the Junior Minister for Health Alex White calling for increased regulation on alcohol advertising.

“Alcohol advertising is connected with the consumption of alcohol and it can be seen everywhere in our society. For example alcohol ads can be seen on billboards, television, radio and on social media.

“This list of marketing tools is non – exhaustive, there are many ways in which alcohol marketing is making its way into our lives.

 “Alcohol advertising is now very prevalent on digital and social media platforms; this is to target our young people who spend a lot of time on these types of sites.

“One in three Irish 16 and 17 year olds said they had seen an ad or pop-up for an alcohol product on their social networking according to Alcohol Action Ireland.  In order to join Facebook you need to be 13 years old.

“We as the government need to target specific mediums that make a strong impact on young people. In that regard, alcohol advertising on social media sites needs to be regulated and closely monitored.

“According to a 2009 study by the Department of Health and Children, excessive alcohol consumption is costing the Irish taxpayer an estimated €3.7 billion a year due to health, crime/public order and other costs. Anecdotally I think it is extremely likely that these costs have risen in recent times.  

“Some further frightening findings from this report are that every seven hours, someone in Ireland dies from an alcohol related illness and every night, 2,000 hospitals beds are occupied for alcohol related reasons.

“Advertisements on television also influence our children by glamorising drinking. It is my view that a 9pm watershed for alcohol advertising is needed for television.

“The drinks industry in Ireland is extremely powerful. I am concerned that politicians are under pressure to keep the status quo as it is.

“Alcohol advertising does work, why else would companies spend millions on it every year? This is an issue that needs to be tackled head on by the government.”