Launch of new ‘Alcohol Information Partnership’
A new UK organisation, The Alcohol Information Partnership (AIP), has launched today with the aim of ensuring that the debate in UK society around alcohol and alcohol misuse remains balanced.
The AIP believes that it is important to remember that the vast majority of people in the UK drink responsibly: binge drinking is in declinei, particularly among young people, underage drinking is reducing and long-term harmful drinking is also falling. AIP will promote the current partnership approach taken to tackle alcohol misuse through coordinated action between Government, industry, Local Authorities and NGOs that focuses on education, enforcement and targeted initiatives. The AIP argues that the steady fall in alcohol misuse suggests this approach is producing results and more of what works should be encouraged.
The Alcohol Information Partnership will be led by Dave Roberts, former Chief Executive of the National Clinical Homecare Association and previously Head of Communications at Wiltshire Health Authority. The independent non-profit group is funded by eight alcoholic beverage producers (Diageo Great Britain, Pernod Ricard UK, Campari, Bacardi, Brown-Forman, Remy-Cointreau, Moet Hennessy, Beam Suntory).
Dave Roberts, Director General of the Alcohol Information Partnership, says: “Alcohol misuse is an incredibly serious issue. As a society, we should continue to have rigorous debate about how best we continue to tackle and reduce alcohol misuse. But the debate has become increasingly imbalanced and characterised by poor representation of the evidence. Too often the facts have been dramatised or exaggerated in order to scare people and skew the debate. The reality is that binge drinking is in decline in the UK – particularly among young people – and the vast majority of people enjoy a drink responsibly.
Roberts continues: “The Alcohol Information Partnership is here to bring balance back to the debate and remind the public that having a drink at home or in the pub can still be a part of a balanced lifestyle as long as it is drunk in moderation.”
Notes to Editors
The Alcohol Information Partnership is comprised of eight alcoholic beverage producers:
Diageo Great Britain
Pernod Ricard UK
Campari
Bacardi
Brown-Forman
Remy-Cointreau
Moet Hennessy
Beam Suntory
Brief biography for Dave Roberts
Chief Executive of the National Clinical Homecare Association
Strategic communications adviser to Wiltshire Public Health and NHS Wiltshire
Adviser to Family and Childcare Trust
Lead strategist for Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust – leading the campaign to introduce the HPV vaccine to prevent causes of cervical cancer
Head of Communications Wiltshire Health Authority
Media enquiries
For further information, please contact: Dave Roberts on 07733323350 or [email protected]
Twitter @DGalcoinfo
The Alcohol Information Partnership is registered at Companies House. Company number: 10314408
- Overall, binge drinking has fallen by 19% since 2005. There have been significant declines in binge drinking for the 16-24 and 25-44 age groups, down 33% and 20% respectively. (ONS) https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/drugusealcoholandsmoking/bulletins/opinionsandlifestylesurveyadultdrinkinghabitsingreatbritain/2014
- In the last decade, the proportion of children (11-15) who have had an alcoholic drink has declined by 38%. (HSCIC) http://digital.nhs.uk/catalogue/PUB17879
In the last decade, the proportion of secondary school pupils who thought it was OK to try alcohol has fallen by 28% (HSCIC) http://digital.nhs.uk/catalogue/PUB17879
In the last decade, the proportion of secondary school pupils who thought it was OK to get drunk has reduced from 46% to 24% (HSCIC) http://digital.nhs.uk/catalogue/PUB17879
Under 18 alcohol-specific hospital admissions have fallen by 46% since 2008, and by 8% in the last year alone (2012/13 – 2014/15). (PHE) http://fingertips.phe.org.uk/profile/local-alcohol-profiles/data
In every region of England underage hospital admissions due to alcohol are falling, including in those areas that in the past have been disproportionately affected by alcohol-related harms, such as the North West (down 54%) and North East (down 46%). (PHE) http://fingertips.phe.org.uk/profile/local-alcohol-profiles/data - In 2014, there were 8,697 alcohol-related deaths registered in the UK. Alcohol-related deaths have fallen since a peak in 2008. The majority of deaths (65%) were among males. Alcohol-related deaths for both males and females are more prevalent in the North of the country. (ONS) https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/causesofdeath/bulletins/alcoholrelateddeathsintheunitedkingdom/registeredin2014 Alcohol-related hospital admissions for those aged under 40 have declined over the past six years(PHE) http://fingertips.phe.org.uk/profile/local-alcohol-profiles/data
