Summary of key findings:
Universities and schools are being urged to join a growing movement in Ireland and the UK that seeks to drive out the alcohol industry from any influence on public health advice on alcohol use and harm.
A campaign in Ireland has led to educational programmes funded by the alcohol industry being removed from schools. But industry backed groups still provide alcohol education in UK schools, including a theatre group funded by alcohol giant Diageo – the Smashed program.
Universities are also targeted: Drinkaware, an alcohol industry front group funded by major alcohol producers and retailers, venues, and restaurant groups, funds freshers’ education materials, including a free cup to measure alcohol units.
The public health community is calling for an Ireland-style ban on materials by industry associated charities because they normalise alcohol use, are poorly evaluated, and take up space that otherwise could be filled by truly independent and more evidence-based initiatives.
Alcohol industry funded “education” programs do not treat alcohol as a harmful substance, normalise alcohol use, and take up space that otherwise could be filled by programs that do not cause harm and provide independent, evidence-based information.
Following Ireland’s lead
Ireland’s clear stance on removing the alcohol industry from schools and universities follows a campaign led by the Irish Community Action on Alcohol Network (ICAAN), set up in 2021 out of a collective desire to eradicate industry influence from education.
ICAAN wrote to 700 schools across Ireland asking for information about Drinkaware in Ireland’s education programme but received no replies. Neither teachers nor Drinkaware were able to provide programme materials for scrutiny by independent experts. The Department of Education in Ireland said it had not seen the resources or evaluated the programme.
- 15 000 Irish students had been through an alcohol industry funded, school based, education programme
- But parents had never seen the programme or been asked to give permission
The ICAAN campaign got Ireland’s prime minister and the Department of Education to issue a statement telling school principals not to allow Drinkaware into schools.
(Source: For complete article go to Movendi Science Digest)
