Madam, – Rosemary Garth of the Alcohol Beverage Federation of Ireland (October 29th), decries calls for a social responsibility levy on the alcohol industry and suggests that awareness campaigns change behaviour vis-a-vis alcohol consumption.
However, repeated evaluations of awareness campaigns targeting alcohol have shown there is no clear link between an individual’s drinking and awareness campaigns. Most studies suggest that, at best there is no increase, but neither is there a decrease. The only effect seems to be that people are better informed as to what alcohol can do to them. The only tangible way of decreasing consumption of alcohol, or any other substance for that matter, seems to be to increase the cost to the consumer. In effect, to make it less attractive and less attainable.
If we are to look at the changes in the number of people dying as a result of drink driving, it is obvious that behaviour only changed when the penalties for being found under the influence of alcohol were increased and the acceptable levels of alcohol allowed were decreased. Drinkers were aware for many decades that drunk drivers killed people, but it didn’t change behaviour. Equally, the only way to decrease alcohol consumption by those not intending to drive is to increase the cost and make the consumer consider whether they will have lunch tomorrow, or a pint tonight. – Yours, etc,