Education is the best way to end Ireland’s culture of alcohol abuse

The publication of the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015 is to be welcomed. 

Advertising restrictions and pricing policy have an important part to play in tackling problem drinking. However, we are dealing with a mood altering drug where the precise impact of these two measures can be exaggerated.

Strategised, long-term educational planning appears to be missing. We will never really and successfully tackle the scourge of problem drinking until the following holistic steps are included in any new statuary process. These cost effective steps will allow each citizen to accurately access the relationship with alcohol at local and personal level. Such awareness will, over time, change our so-called “cultural” attachment to alcohol.