Thirty leading medical bodies and charities have called for a total ban on advertising for alcohol on television.
An alliance of more than 30 leading medical bodies and charities says Britain's "alcohol problem" has become so entrenched that drastic action – which would also include an end to sponsorship of sporting events – is required to protect children and teenagers.
Their submission to the House of Commons health select committee says the step is needed to tackle a growing burden on society, which costs almost 15,000 lives a year.
Evidence submitted to MPs shows that alcohol has become the leading cause of deaths among young men, responsible for 27 per cent of fatalities among those aged 16 to 24.
Sir Ian Gilmore, chairman of the Alcohol Health Alliance (AHA), said extreme measures were required to "reset society's norms" and protect children from marketing messages which glamorise drinking and fuel excess consumption.
He said: "We know that young people are heavily affected by advertising and marketing.
"The evidence shows that when children are exposed to adverts they tend to drink at an earlier age, to drink more, and are more likely to end up developing a problem with alcohol in later life."
Broadcast regulations state that commercials for beer, wine and spirits cannot be aired during shows watched predominantly by children.
However, many programmes which are popular with youngsters, such as sitcoms and soap operas, are free from restrictions because adults make up the majority of their audience.
If the demands of the alliance are met, they would have a major impact not just on TV advertising but also on sport sponsorship.
Carlsberg is currently sponsoring Euro 2012 and later this summer Heineken will sponsor the Olympics.
Source: Laura Donnelly, the telegraph, 10/06/12
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