Alcohol adverts, sport and children

A lack of effective controls on marketing to children

Sir, – Given that a global alcohol company is the fourth largest TV advertiser to our children, we are calling for the immediate implementation of legislation that will help to protect them from harmful alcohol advertising.

As advocates working to reduce alcohol harm, we wish to raise the issue regarding exposure of alcohol advertising to children. There is thorough evidence to show the harmful side of alcohol advertising, and the role it plays in normalising alcohol use to children as well as adults.

Seven out of 10 of the top programmes watched by children are big sporting events, according to the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland. A great deal of these events are broadcast before 9pm, are sponsored by alcohol companies and are imbued with extensive alcohol advertising.

A lack of effective controls on marketing to children is a major factor in at least 50,000 children in Ireland starting to drink every year and that 37 per cent of those aged 15 to 24 who drink have an alcohol use disorder. A National Longitudinal Study of Children, Growing Up in Ireland, showed that 15.5 per cent of a sample of 13 year olds said they had taken a whole alcoholic drink; 7 per cent had drank in the past year, with half having experienced being drunk.

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We have legislation to control the advertising of alcohol products before 9pm through the Public Health Alcohol Act, (PHAA) passed in 2018. Four years on, there has been no action on this measure. We wish to see Government make this a priority in 2023 given the inordinate delay in implementing this low-cost, effective measure. – Yours, etc,

HANNAH-ALICE LOUGHLIN,

Alcohol Action Ireland,

Dublin 7.