Consumers

Just say no to booze? "Use soft drink spacers to pace yourself," urges the drinkaware site,"a tonic looks just the same as a vodka and tonic. A cola looks the same with or without the rum." Fair enough but they don't taste the same and you won't get smashed as quickly. Responsibility tag lines on beer cans may help companies convince the government they are responsible. But do they really change behaviour? Binge drinking does not happen because young people have seen a Baileys ad. It happens because teenagers think it's big and fun to get dead drunk. The government's strategy includes a chapter 'Alcohol and its harms.' No strategy that ignores alcohol and its charms will work. The danger is government will blame failure on the companies and more regulation will follow. Certainly, put responsible drinking messages on beer mats but also, if you are serious, challenge government on laxer licensing and the 24 hour drinking economy. Above all, we need an understanding of the cultural roots of binge drinking and, firmly built on that understanding, a serious campaign to change young people's attitudes.