Policy

We aim to influence government and policymakers to bring about positive change in tackling drug and alcohol misuse issues in the UK.

The Action on Addiction Alcohol Campaigning Group

One of the ways we do this is through our Alcohol Campaigning Group which meets regularly to discuss current alcohol policy and establish a range of recomendations.

Our Alcohol Campaigning Group launched in November 2005, aims to highlight the damage caused to our nation's health by excessive drinking. We work with government officials and the drinks industry to establish evidence based policy initiatives.

In particular the Group recommends that the following policies are introduced to reduce alcohol related harm:

  • Putting an alcohol worker in every hospital

In the handful of hospitals where there is already an alcohol worker, they provide an invaluable service, identifying problems in patients on the wards, giving training to all frontline staf on how to deal with alcohol issues and delivering brief interventions to patients in A&E with alcohol-related conditions.

  • Implement a tax based on the percentage of alcohol in a drink

The price of alcohol relative to average income has halved since 1965, coinciding with a massive rise in consumption. As a general rule, the higher the price of alcohol relative to income, the less the nation as a whole drinks. Alcoholics and heavy drinkers tend to be just as responsive to changes in the price of alcohol as moderate drinkers.

  • Put health warning labels on bottles and advertising

The research on effectiveness of health warning bottles is weak. We would like the Government to test key health warning messages on bottles and advertising and measure their effectiveness.

The Group consists of over 50 health experts from across the addiction field.

The Alcohol Health Alliance

Action on Addiction is also a member of the Alcohol Health Alliance UK Group. This is a ground-breaking coalition of 24 organisations whose mission is to reduce the damage caused to health by alcohol misuse and who will work together to:

  • Highlight the rising levels of alcohol-related health harm
  • Propose evidence-based solutions to reduce this harm
  • Influence decision makers to take positive action to address the damage caused by alcohol misuse

For further information please call the Communications Team directly on 020 7793 1011 or email: action@actiononaddiction.org.uk

  • Our alcohol consumption as a nation has doubled since the 1970s and cirrhosis rates have increased by 900%. Measures that reduce availability and increase the price of alcohol are essential to reduce alcohol-related harm. Action on Addiction is helping me get my message across to policy makers.

    Dr Francis Keaney, Researcher