New NHS Campaign Reveals Unseen Alcohol Damage

A new health education campaign to warn drinkers of the unseen health damage caused by regularly drinking more than the NHS advises has been launched by the Government. The £6 million campaign shows the damage being done to drinkers’ organs while they are drinking in a pub or at home. The campaign was launched by Public Health Minister, Gillian Merron as part of the cross-Government strategy to tackle the harms that alcohol causes.

The Department of Health developed the campaign in association with Cancer Research UK, the British Heart Foundation and the Stroke Association to create the series of ‘stark’ TV, press and outdoor adverts showing the harm that regularly drinking more than two drinks a day can cause.

A new YouGov poll, launched to coincide with the campaign, showed that more than half (55%) of English drinkers misguidedly believed that alcohol only damaged their health if they regularly got drunk or binge drank. The survey, of over 2,000 adults, also found that 83% of those who regularly drank more than the NHS recommended limits of 2-3 units a day for women (about two small glasses of wine) and 3-4 units a day for men (about two pints of lager) did not think their drinking was putting their long-term health at risk.

With 10 million adults in England estimated to be drinking above the recommended limits, this is equivalent to around 8.3 million people potentially unaware of the damage their drinking could be causing.

Although 86% of drinkers surveyed knew that drinking alcohol is related to liver disease, far fewer realised it is also linked with breast cancer (7%), throat cancer (25%), mouth cancer (28%), stroke (37%) and heart disease (56%), along with other serious conditions.

Public Health Minister, Gillian Merron said:

“Many of us enjoy a drink – drinking sensibly isn’t a problem. But, if you’re regularly drinking more than the NHS recommended limits, you’re more likely to get cancer, have a stroke or have a heart attack.

Gillian Merron MP Public Health Minister www.ias.org.uk 6 Alcohol Aler t Spring 2010

“With alcohol misuse damaging so many people’s health and lives, the Government has teamed up with Cancer Research UK, the British Heart Foundation and the Stroke Association to produce this straight talking campaign. It’s important to show drinkers the unseen damage alcohol can do to their body.”

Further information on the campaign can be found at: www.drinking.nhs.uk