Australian Medical Association

AMA President, Dr Steve Hambleton, said today that the AMA is urging governments to impose tougher restrictions on alcohol marketing to young people.

Dr Hambleton said the warmer weather and high profile sporting and music events make summer the ideal time for alcohol companies to exploit current loopholes in advertising regulations and launch mass advertising and marketing campaigns that encourage teenagers and young people to drink, often recklessly.

In September 2011, the AMA hosted a summit of public health and police stakeholders to consider advice to the Australian Government on reform of alcohol taxation and pricing. A Communique was issued which outlined a consensus view on options for reform.

AMA President, Dr Steve Hambleton, today cautioned young people to play it safe as they set off for traditional Schoolies Week celebrations around the country to mark the end of a tough school year and, for many, the end of their high school days.

The Schoolies Week season commences this weekend in Queensland, with other States to follow in coming weeks.

Transcript: AMA President, Dr Steve Hambleton, and National Alliance for Action on Alcohol (NAAA) Co-Chair, Prof Mike Daube

                Media Conference

                AMA House, Canberra

               Wednesday, 28 September 2011

Subject:   Alcohol tax reform; Penicillin shortage

AMA President, Dr Steve Hambleton, today questioned why the Government was reluctant to approach alcohol taxation reform and why it had excluded alcohol tax from next month’s Tax Forum.

“The Government has a strong record in public health with tobacco plain packaging and the alcopops tax, and it should be building on this momentum,” Dr Hambleton said.

“The evidence for the need for alcohol tax reform is considerable and beyond challenge.

MEDIA ALERT

Public health leaders challenge Government to act on alcohol tax reform.

NAAA Alcohol Tax Forum, AMA House, Canberra, Wednesday 28 September.

The AMA will next week host the National Alliance for Action on Alcohol (NAAA) Alcohol Tax Forum in Canberra.

The AMA President has joined with other public health leaders in urging the government to investigate options for alcohol tax reform, to reduce the potential for excess alcohol use and consequent health problems.

The AMA today urged the Government to adopt the alcohol health warning labels concept launched today by the Alcohol Education & Rehabilitation (AER) Foundation.

AMA President, Dr Steve Hambleton, said today that warning labels should be mandatory on alcohol products, especially as a deterrent to teenage drinking and drinking when pregnant.

“Health warning labels on alcohol must contain clear, strong messages about the negative health effects of excessive or irresponsible drinking,” Dr Hambleton said.

A new report shows that teenagers often consume alcohol at harmful levels.

AMA President, Dr Steve Hambleton, said today that this is further evidence that targeted marketing of alcohol to young people should be banned to prevent them from taking up drinking at a young age.

“These latest figures show that young people who are barely in their teens have already started drinking alcohol, and those who are older are drinking at harmful levels,” Dr Hambleton said.

MJA release - The alcopops tax has worked to reduce drinking by young people but broader changes and a comprehensive approach that includes taxation reform are needed to tackle alcohol abuse across the wider community, an article in the Medical Journal of Australia says.