Binge drinking highlighted in new adverts

The Health Promotion Agency for Northern Ireland (HPA) has launched a new campaign to raise awareness of the links between binge drinking and serious damage to health.

The television advertising campaign, which features the strapline 'You don’t have to be drunk to be doing real damage’, will air for the first time tonight.

Speaking at the launch Dr Brian Gaffney, Chief Executive of the HPA, said: “A recent survey carried out by the HPA revealed that in Northern Ireland 83% of adults aged 30–44 years drink alcohol and of this number over half the men and a third of the women were binge drinkers.

"This campaign targets that age group and wants to encourage them to think about how much they drink and what exactly binge drinking is and to highlight that this type of drinking – even if it is once a week – can have a really serious impact on their health.”

Qualitative research carried out by the HPA revealed that many people who were surveyed did not know was defined as a binge drinking session. A binge is defined as consuming at least 10 units of alcohol for men (approximately five drinks) and at least seven units of alcohol for women (approximately four drinks) in a single session, roughly half the recommended weekly limit in one session.

Responses to what binge drinking means included “a binge is when you drink for three or four days”; “if you take 15–20 drinks in one go”; or “drinking to the point when you don’t remember anything”.

Tonight's television advertisement is set in the present day with the main character, Jamesy, around 40 years of age, lying in a hospital bed having suffered a stroke. Viewers are then shown a number of flashbacks giving us an insight into Jamesy’s lifestyle.

The television advertising will be supported by an information leaflet Alcohol in focus, which is already available from local Health and Social Services Boards, GP surgeries and pharmacies. The advertising begins today and will run until March 31.

(MB)