Alcohol Awareness
Research reveals 8.4 million people want alcohol advertising reduced and 3.6 million people want alcohol advertising banned altogether
New research conducted for The Salvation Army shows more than 8.4 million people (49%) want alcohol advertising reduced, 3.6 million people (21%) say alcohol advertising should be banned and more than 4.3 million people (25%) say alcohol has had a negative impact on them or their family.
The survey by Roy Morgan also found that more than two million people report children being embarrassed or scared as a result of alcohol consumption within their family and close to two million people have experienced physical arguments or threats as a result of alcohol consumption within their family.
The new Salvation Army is not an anti-alcohol. Rather, it seeks to highlight the huge negative impact alcohol abuse and misuse is having on Australian families and the community.
The Salvation Army calls:
- for a significant reduction in the amount, time placement and environment placement of alcohol advertising and a review of current advertising guidelines.
- on the Federal government to launch an awareness campaign on the impact of alcohol on families in Australia.
- on all Australians to consider the impact of alcohol on their families and review their drinking habits.
These ad to previous calls for the inclusion of warning labels on alcohol products.
The Salvation Army has put together a booklet on alcohol called "The Facts – Binge Drinking & Alcohol Abuse" (PDF 614 KB) as part of The Salvation Army’s initiative tackling social issues.
The 2008 survey data at a glance:
- More than 8.4 million people (49%) want alcohol advertising reduced
- More than 3.6 million people (21%) say alcohol advertising should be banned
- More than 4.3 million people (25%) say alcohol has had a negative impact on them or their family
- More than 3.4 million people (20%) say they or their family have experienced verbal arguments or threats as a result of alcohol consumption within their family
- More than 2 million people (12%) say they or their family have experienced children being embarrassed or scared as a result of alcohol consumption within their family
- Nearly 2 million people (11%) say they or their family have experienced physical arguments or threats as a result of alcohol consumption within their family
- More than 2.6 million people (15%) say they or their family have had relationship difficulties as a result of alcohol consumption within their family
- More than 2.3 million people (14%) say they or their family have had health problems as a result of alcohol consumption within their family
- 1.3 million people (8%) say they or their family have had financial difficulties as a result of alcohol consumption within their family
- 1.9 million people (11%) report their father was a heavy drinker
- 450,000 people (2.6%) report their mother was a heavy drinker
- More than 4.5 million people (26%) say their father was a social drinker
- 2.4 million people (14%) report their mother was a social drinker
The Salvation Army also highlights the huge burden alcohol abuse places on the health, criminal justice and the social service sectors. According to research by Professor David Collins and Professor Helen Lapsley, the social costs of alcohol in Australia in 2004 - 05 was $15.3 billion. This included a staggering $1.6 billion in crime and $3.6 billion in lost workplace production.
A $2 billion health care cost makes alcohol the second most costly abused drug in Australia after tobacco. It's estimated that between 1992 and 2001 more than 31,000 Australians died from alcohol caused diseases and injuries.
View report: "The avoidable costs of alcohol abuse in Australia and the potential benefits of effective policies to reduce the social costs of alcohol" from The National Drug Strategy
