Schools and universities should be banned from using materials funded by the alcohol industry which ‘normalise drinking and downplay health risks’.
Public health experts want a stop to the ‘selective’ advice being given in educational settings by charities such as Drinkaware.
They found pupils as young as nine are being shown materials which, while designed to discourage underage drinking, also normalise alcohol.
Meanwhile, university students are being handed industry-backed ‘freshers’ week survival guides’ funded by Diageo, one of the world’s biggest alcoholic beverage companies.
Public health experts want a stop to the ‘selective’ advice being given in educational settings by charities such as Drinkaware (Stock Image)
They found pupils as young as nine are being shown materials which, while designed to discourage underage drinking, also normalise alcohol (Stock Image)
Other examples include advice by Drinkaware such as to eat carbohydrates or protein before going out and to drink plenty of water.
The recommendations were issued alongside a free cup to measure alcohol units and a wheel with units and calories in popular drinks, according to research by the British Medical Journal.
In Wales, universities were given a toolkit to assess whether they are keeping students safe from alcohol created by the Welsh government, NUS Wales, and Drinkaware.
Mark Petticrew, of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said the information all focused on the short-term effects of getting drunk.
He said: ‘Food has no relevance to the longer-term harms of alcohol, including cardiovascular disease, cancers and foetal alcohol spectrum disorders.’
Accusing writers of the Welsh toolkit of ‘misinformation’, he said it omits any information about the long-term risks of injury, disease and death associated with alcohol.
He added: ‘The framing of the entire document is to preserve the industry reputation and not about protecting young people at universities from harm.’
It follows a successful campaign in Ireland that has led to educational programmes funded by the alcohol industry being removed from schools.
The Department for Education said that universities are private institutions and the government has no remit to review materials distributed to students in England.
Drinkaware defended the cup and wheel, saying it was designed to ‘help people understand how much they are drinking.’
Chief executive Karen Tyrell, described the charity’s work in UK universities as ‘a pragmatic and worthwhile contribution to reducing alcohol related harm across the UK.’
She said: ‘We work with the grain of public opinion and treat people like adults capable of making informed choices.
‘While some may not like it, alcohol is a part of our society and there is currently no public desire to change that.
‘We make no apologies for delivering a range of activities which support our charitable objectives and organisational purpose.’
Source: Mail Online
