Call for ban on alcohol advertising
NZPA staff correspondent London The British Medical Association has called for a complete ban on the advertising and promotion of alcohol as one of a number of tough public health measures. The move proved the most controversial at the association’s annual meeting which underlined the B.M.A.’s increased campaigning role. The association also called for a complete ban on tobacco promotion and advertising and an end to sports and arts sponsorship by tobacco companies. At the same time representatives proposed compulsory fitting of rear seat belts in cars and for tougher penalties on shopkeepers who sell cigarettes to children. The association is also to consider whether it should retain its shareholdings in alcohol companies. The B.M.A. secretary, John Havard, said that time and again the association had launched campaigns in the face of considerable opposition for measures that were,now wjdely accepted. He* cited the compulsory wearing of front seat belts,
the drink-driving laws, and its campaign earlier this century to publish the contents of “secret remedies.” Opposing a complete ban on alcohol advertising and promotion, doctors did argue that there was no real evidence that small amounts of alcohol were harmful. However, it was also emphasised that alcohol was causing increasing problems in society. It was blamed for causing a third of all divorces, as well as being seen as a big factor in cases of child abuse and in road accidents, and a main cause of violent behaviour as in soccer hooliganism. The association demanded a big increase in taxes on alcohol and resolved that a new Tobacco Act was needed to halt sponsorship and advertising. It claimed that tobacco companies spent about £l2 million ($33 million) on sponsorship, but this was only 1 per cent of the subsidies received by the arts and sport: The association’s call for rear seat belts to be fitted to all cars was described as the first step making the wearing of them compulsory.
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19850703.2.150
Bibliographic details
Press, 3 July 1985, Page 30
Word Count
326Call for ban on alcohol advertising Press, 3 July 1985, Page 30
Using This Item
Stuff Ltd is the copyright owner for the Press. You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0 New Zealand licence. This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of Stuff Ltd. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.
Copyright in all Footrot Flats cartoons is owned by Diogenes Designs Ltd. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise these cartoons and make them available online as part of this digitised version of the Press. You can search, browse, and print Footrot Flats cartoons for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Diogenes Designs Ltd for any other use.
Acknowledgements
This newspaper was digitised in partnership with Christchurch City Libraries.