Media 'plays a role in encouraging alcohol abuse'

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by Change | 2 Jan 2009

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Inaccurate media portrayals of alcohol abuse are contributing to the popularity of this behaviour, Alcohol Concern claims.

The media plays a role in the promotion of alcohol abuse and does not concentrate enough on the short and long-term effects it can have, a charity asserts.

A spokeswoman for Alcohol Concern claims the representation of drinking in a positive context can carry the message that this behaviour is acceptable and will not have a strongly negative effect.

She concentrates on the portrayal of drunk celebrities as glamorous, describing this as "irresponsible" and suggesting this leads young people to emulating their alcohol abuse.

Films and soap operas which show alcohol abuse inaccurately are also highlighted as partially responsible for encouraging this.

"If a character is shown to be drinking at the bar for entire evenings but does not seem to suffer any effects, this is not realistic," the representative states.

As this does not show alcohol abuse can lead to immediate consequences or long-term issues like substance addiction she says this fails to convey the truth about heavy drinking.

Figures produced by the Office for National Statistics shows the number of fatalities due to binge consumption has risen from 12.9 deaths per 100,000 people to 13.4 in the 2005-06 period.

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