Welsh health minister Lesley Griffiths calls for stricter regulations on alcohol marketing to tackle excessive drinking. One of these tightened regulations would mean a ban on alcohol marketing, another would be a minimum price per unit.
“While the UK government’s recent proposal to ban sales below the cost of duty is a small step in the right direction, we believe it does not go far enough,.” Griffiths said at the joint Alcohol Concern and ASH Wales conference Tobacco and alcohol: learning from each other in Cardiff. She went on to say that she would, “like to see the introduction of a minimum price for alcohol, and we also believe the advertising of alcohol should be much more restricted, with consideration given to a complete ban.”
Health campaigners, professionals and scientist all reacted positively to the statement by the health minister. Professor Gerard Hastings, director of the Institute for Social Marketing and the Centre for Tobacco Control Research at Stirling University, said he was very gratified to hear the minister talking about a complete ban, as he believes that’s the way forward.
Dr Stefan Coghlan, chair of the British Medical Association’s Welsh Council, said: “We believe a ban on alcohol advertising as well as other measures, such as a minimum price per unit of alcohol, would help to tackle the soaring cost of alcohol-related harm, particularly in young people.”
Source: Walesonline.co.uk 10/12/11