Parliament to debate tougher regulation of alcohol ads
Health experts are backing a parliamentary bill tabled by Tory backbencher Sarah Wollaston which aims to restrict children’s exposure to alcohol advertising.
The British Medical Association and university experts support the bill, which will emulate French legislation which bans alcohol promotion through mediums such as television and social media whilst permitting it elsewhere.
Currently television marketing of alcohol is prohibited only during prime time children’s programmes.
The bill will be debated on Wednesday but is unlikely to pass into law with Wollaston instead using the occasion to raise awareness of the issue.
The BMAs Ram Moorthy said: “In our last report on alcohol marketing and alcohol misuse, the BMA highlighted the millions of pounds the alcohol industry spends on promoting alcohol, which we know can encourage young people to start drinking and to consume more alcohol than is healthy."