BMA brands the Government’s sensible drinking campaign as expensive and ineffective

The British Medical Association (BMA) has hit out at the Government’s sensible drinking campaign for being “expensive” and “ineffective”. The comments come in a report on alcohol misuse launched today (February 21).

The BMA has called on the Government to show leadership and implement a “full range of effective control policies” to reduce the burden of alcohol misuse.

It says that mass public awareness campaigns may be politically attractive and increase knowledge about alcohol misuse but they are very expensive and ultimately ineffective if unsupported by broad based policy. Instead, it recommends higher taxes on alcohol and end to happy hour promotions and two-for-one offers

Dr Vivienne Nathanson, BMA head of science and ethics, says: “Recent governments have worked too closely with the alcohol industry and have pursued policies of deregulation and liberalisation regarding alcohol control”