8 March 2005

Time to stop liquor advertisers’ free rein

Liquor advertisers should be forced to put health warnings about alcohol use in their television advertisements, Green Party alcohol and drug spokesman Nandor Tanczos says.

“A $2.2 million Alcohol Advisory Council advertising campaign against binge drinking was launched yesterday, but it will not achieve its objective if it is constantly contradicted by alcohol advertising hype.”

While the Greens want the liquor industry banned from advertising their products on television, some interim steps could be taken in the meantime.

“Alcohol companies should be required to dedicate five seconds of each 30 second advertisement to carrying health warnings about alcohol.

“For example, I’d like to see warnings at the end of advertisements about the dangers of foetal alcohol syndrome and binge drinking,” he says.

The liquor industry spends over $50 million a year advertising their products and at the moment they are able to completely downplay the massive health and social problems their products can cause.

“While Alac’s campaign should be applauded, I believe it will do little to stem New Zealand’s huge binge drinking culture or curtail the alcohol industry. Alac’s campaign should not be able to be used by the liquor industry as a way to get out of their responsibilities to New Zealanders.”

ENDS

© Scoop Media