National Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy

The Prime Minister's introduction to the launch of the National Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy

"Millions of us enjoy drinking alcohol with few, if any, ill effects. Indeed moderate drinking can bring some health benefits. But, increasingly, alcohol misuse by a small minority is causing two major and largely distinct problems; on the one hand crime and anti-social behaviour in towns and city centres and on the other, harm to health as a result of binge and chronic drinking."

"This is why the Government has been looking at how best to target the problems of alcohol misuse. The aim has been to treat alcohol related harm and its causes without interfering with pleasure enjoyed by the millions of people who drink responsibly."

Tony Blair
Prime Minister
2004

The Strategy

Published by the Government in 2004, The National Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy includes the following measures aimed at achieving a long term change in attitudes to irresponsible drinking and behaviour:

• targeting those most at risk, including binge and chronic drinkers
• making the 'sensible drinking' message easier to understand
• providing alcohol education in schools that can change attitudes and behaviour
• providing more support and advice for employers
• reviewing the code of practice for TV advertising to prevent targeting young drinkers or glamourising irresponsible behaviour
• providing better information for consumers, on products and at the point of sale.

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