The Portman Group praises Cameron's pledge to clean up Booze Britain
Alcohol marketing regulator The Portman Group has highlighted its support for Prime Minister David Cameron, who has pledged to battle Britain’s binge drinking culture.
The Prime Minister today will address the growing issues of alcohol abuse and public drunkenness and describe it as a "scandal". He will also call for the drinks industry to work with the government to ensure that responsible drinking becomes a reality, and "not just a slogan".
In response to this, Portman Group chief executive Henry Ashworth has expressed his support for Mr Cameron’s demands. He has said, "The Prime Minister is absolutely right to highlight the behaviour of the reckless minority who spoil the responsible majority's enjoyment of a sociable drink. As producers, we are determined to be effective partners in tackling public drunkenness, which is an embarrassment to us all, and to encourage people to drink responsibly.”
Mr Cameron’s schemes for tackling the problem of public drunkenness include borrowing ideas used successfully throughout Europe, including the use of ‘drunk tanks’ and the continued use of the ‘booze buses’ currently used in London, both aimed at keeping drunks safe and off the streets.
Following the news that alcohol abuse and misuse is costing the NHS around £2.7 billion a year, the Prime Minister is also expected to explain that £1 billion of that money has been spent on Accident and Emergency services alone, and will describe those responsible for the costs as being "an irresponsible minority".
Ashworth’s comments concur with those of Cameron, giving hope that this will be the push needed to propel the drinks industry into creating innovative measures to ensure responsible drinking and ways to keep the "reckless minority" from wasting public time and money for good.