Australian Medical Association

AMA President, Dr Andrew Pesce, said today that more needs to be done to stop young people from taking up drinking at an early age, including banning alcohol advertising and promotions that are targeted at teenagers and adolescents.

Dr Pesce said that excess alcohol consumption is known to be a contributor to cancer rates in Australia.

The 2010 edition of Australia’s Health, released yesterday, showed that there are rising rates of cancer in the community and that cancer is the leading cause of disease burden in Australia.

“The AMA wants the Government to target alcohol advertising to young people as part of an overall strategy to cut excessive and irresponsible alcohol consumption in the Australian community,” Dr Pesce said.

As Australians commence a season of parties and family get-togethers over the Christmas-New Year period, the AMA is highlighting the need for extra care with alcohol consumption and travel – not just for drivers, but also for pedestrians.

AMA President, Dr Andrew Pesce, said today that intoxicated pedestrians have an injury pattern that is two to five times more serious than the injury rate for sober accident victims.

“There are many education and awareness programs around the risks of drink driving, but people tend to forget or ignore the very real dangers of walking when heavily intoxicated,” Dr Pesce said.

“The wobbly boots can lead a person straight to the emergency department or to an unexpected untimely death.

AMA Vice President, Dr Steve Hambleton, said today that Schoolies Week is a traditional celebration for students after a tough year, but it is also a time of high health risk for young people.

Dr Hambleton, a Brisbane GP, said the focus has been on preventing the risks of alcohol and binge drinking but students should be equally careful and cautious about their sexual health.

“Schoolies Week is a time when young people can be pressured to have sex, and alcohol is often involved,” Dr Hambleton said.

Two new reports demonstrate the need for a comprehensive set of measures to be put in place to combat problem drinking, AMA President, Dr Andrew Pesce, said today.

The British Medical Association (BMA) recently released an expert report: “Under the Influence: The damaging effect of alcohol on young people”.

The report coincides with the release today of research by The National Drug Research Institute (NDRI) which shows that risky alcohol consumption caused the death of 32,696 Australians in the 10 years from 1996 to 2005, and 813,072 Australians were hospitalised due to alcohol-caused injury and disease over the same period. This is a 30% rise in alcohol-caused injury and disease in ten years, and the trend is set to continue, according to NDRI.

AMA President, Dr Andrew Pesce, today welcomed the approval of the alcopops tax by the Senate and said it should be followed by more comprehensive measures to combat binge drinking.

Tax office data has shown total spirits consumption has decreased since the tax was introduced.

“The AMA is a strong supporter of pricing measures to reduce harmful alcohol consumption,” Dr Pesce said.

“Making alcopops less affordable has helped reduce binge drinking by young people.

The growing number of Australians at risk of serious chronic diseases from obesity, smoking and excess alcohol use is a major health challenge facing Australia. This AMA Policy Brief, Preventing Obesity, Smoking and Excess Alcohol Use, summarises some key measures that the AMA believes should be given priority in a National Preventative Health Strategy, including support for the preventative role of doctors and implementation of a number of targeted community-level measures.

This position statement details the measures the AMA believes are necessary to reduce the harms associated with excess consumption of alcohol in Australia. The AMA makes recommendations about prevention, early intervention and treatment regarding alcohol consumption, and include a focus on problem drinking among young Australians. This position statement is supported by an AMA background information paper on alcohol consumption and patterns of harm.

Excess alcohol use, and the harms it produces, continue to be a  major health problem in Australia. It is crucial that alcohol policy is informed by pertinent and comprehensive evidence. This AMA Information Paper provides up to date information and data on alcohol consumption and harms in Australia.

The Australian Medical Association says the government must call an urgent summit on alcohol advertising.

AMA President, Dr Rosanna Capolingua, today congratulated the distilling industry for its decision to voluntarily cease daytime television advertising, but said much more was needed.

“We need some leadership here. The distilling industry must be applauded for the move, but we’ve still got another 80% of alcohol advertisers using the sports broadcasting exemption to attract a new generation of drinkers,” Dr Capolingua said.

The Federal Government should move immediately to secure the revenue already collected from its alcopops tax by announcing a trial buyback of alcohol advertising in sport, the AMA said today.

Some non-government Senators have indicated they are supportive of the plan proposed by the AMA  last  week for the Government to spend some of the revenue from the alcopops tax on a trial of  “buying back” alcohol advertising during sporting events. Agreeing to the buyback trial may convince the Senate to approve new alcopops tax legislation.

AMA President, Dr Rosanna Capolingua, called on the Government to move quickly to ensure it was not forced to refund  $340 million worth of alcopops tax revenue which has already been collected.