Young people in plea over drink ads

Young people have called for a Government ban on drinks advertising, the National Youth Federation said today.

The President’s Young Persons Forum has demanded restrictions on the advertising of alcohol, with all adverts to be eventually phased out.

The forum called for an all-out ban on television, print, billboard and radio advertising of alcohol, saying those most influenced by adverts were the young people advertisers were obliged not to target.

The National Youth Federation’s central services director Michael McLoughlin said the forum’s demands called into question the wisdom of Government initiatives on drinking, which centre on self-regulation by the industry.

“This is a major rebuke to the Government and the Minister of Health from a forum hosted by the President of Ireland.

“It is now time for the Government to seriously revise its approach to this question,” he said.

“Voluntary arrangements for the industry are totally inadequate.

“Alcohol is not a normal product – it has serious effects on the health and well-being of adults and children and needs to be regulated.

“This laissez-faire attitude would not apply to other serious areas like tobacco or illegal drugs so why is it promoted by Government in this area,” he said.