Council backs new regional alcohol campaign

Blackburn with Darwen Council health bosses are backing a new regional campaign aimed at protecting young people from alcohol harms.

The ‘Let’s Look Again at Alcohol’ campaign from Drink Wise North West launches today and aims to focus on how children can be affected by the excesses of other people’s drinking.

The campaign includes a new film to get people to think about what more we can do to protect young people from alcohol.

The campaign comes as new research put together by Drink Wise suggests 20% of children aged under 16 in Lancashire have been badly harmed by someone else’s drinking – whether it is a friend, family member or total stranger.

It named a range of ways in which children had been affected including becoming anxious, upset or worried, missing school, being mentally affected and missing health appointments.

Brian Taylor, Lead Member for Health and Adult Social Care, said: “It is clear that we must do more to keep alcohol out of childhood. We need to continue to educate our youngsters about the dangers of alcohol but we also need to acknowledge that children are surrounded by a world of drink. Children as young as ten are avid consumers of alcohol advertising and sponsorship. Key to tackling our alcohol culture is addressing the way in which alcohol is priced, promoted and made available.”

Dominic Harrison, Director of Public Health for Blackburn with Darwen Council, said: “Through no fault of their own, it is often innocent children who bear the brunt of the problems that can come with alcohol. This campaign aims to ask the public to look again at alcohol and ask what more we can do to help to protect children.”

For more information visit: www.LookAgainAtAlcohol.org.uk

View the Drink Wise ‘Let’s Look Again at Alcohol’ film via the following link: