Schools and universities should be banned from using alcohol industry-funded materials that “normalize alcohol consumption and minimize health risks.”
Public health experts want an end to “selective” advice given in educational settings by charities such as Drinkaware.
They discovered that students as young as nine are shown materials that, while designed to discourage underage drinking, also normalize alcohol consumption.
Meanwhile, college students receive industry-backed “newbies week survival guides” funded by Diageo, one of the world’s largest alcoholic beverage companies.
Public health experts want to end “selective” advice given in educational settings by charities such as Drinkaware (File image)
They discovered that students as young as nine are shown materials that, while designed to discourage underage drinking, also normalize alcohol consumption.
Other examples include tips from Drinkaware such as eating carbohydrates or protein before going out and drinking plenty of water.
The recommendations were issued along with a free cup to measure alcohol units and a wheel with units and calories in popular drinks, according to research in the British Medical Journal.
In Wales, universities have been given a toolkit to assess whether they are keeping students safe from alcohol created by the Welsh Government, NUS Wales and Drinkaware.
Mark Petticrew, from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said all the data focused on the short-term effects of getting drunk.
He said: “Food has no relevance to the long-term harms of alcohol, including cardiovascular disease, cancer and fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.”
Accusing the drafters of the Welsh toolkit of “misinformation”, he said it omits any information about the long-term risks of injury, illness and death associated with alcohol.
He added: “The framework of the entire document is to preserve the reputation of the industry and not to protect young people in universities from harm.”
This is a successful campaign in Ireland that has led to educational programs funded by the alcohol industry being withdrawn from schools.
The Department for Education said universities are private institutions and the government has no power to review materials distributed to students in England.
Drinkaware defended the cup and wheel, saying they were 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 valuable contribution to reducing alcohol-related harm across the UK”.
She said: ‘We work with public opinion and treat people as adults capable of making informed decisions.
‘Although some may not like it, alcohol is part of our society and there is currently no public desire to change that.
“We make no apologies for offering a range of activities that support our charitable objectives and organizational purpose.”