Alcohol advertising ban ‘will not solve problem’
Dr Conor Farren, a consultant psychiatrist attached to St Patrick’s Psychiatric hospital in Dublin, said yesterday that Irish people had a predisposition to over indulge in alcohol and this needed to be tackled effectively.
“We are second only to Luxembourg in the drinks league and consumption has rocketed in the last seven years. Tinkering with alcohol advertising will not solve the problem,” he said.
Dr Farren was responding to the Taoiseach’s announcement on Monday of a proposal to ban alcohol advertising on television or radio before 10pm and on public transport and in cinemas where films for people under 18 are being shown.
He criticised the lack of regulation of access to alcohol and, in particular, the paucity of Government measures to deal with abuse.
“The Government brought out two reports on alcohol consumption in the past two years but the only thing they have done is to actually increase access by extending opening hours of bars. This has not been in the interest of anyone except publicans and the drinks industry. It is certainly not in the interest of those in the treatment industry,” he said.
Dr Farren, a father of three who describes himself as “a very minimal drinker,” noted that Irish consumption levels were way above the EU average and said this indicated a predisposition to over indulge.
He said that he was seeing a worrying increase in the number of young people coming to him with alcohol related problems. “They are often brought to me for help by their parents. It’s the same in accident and emergency units.”
Dr Farren also spoke of a correlation between drink and drug abuse and described alcohol as a ‘pathway’ to serious drug abuse.
He also said legislation should ensure that bar staff be trained in enforcing the rules and there should be alcohol education in primary schools.
