HEALTH campaigns to curb binge drinking do not work because they demonise young people, say researchers.
A study found that adverts like the Government’s latest £4million anti-binge-drinking campaign are viewed as unrealistic in the way they portray binge drinking.
The TV advert showed young drinkers injuring themselves, being violent and smearing vomit in their hair.
Research, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, concluded that young people do not recognise their own drinking patterns in adverts which take a negative stance. But they identify with adverts that promote alcohol as fun and sociable.
Researchers interviewed 89 people in the North West, aged between 18 and 25, and focused on 216 alcohol adverts.
Professor Christine Griffin led the project and urged the Government to reconsider its health campaigns. She said: “Top of my list would have to be to stop demonising and making generalisations about young people and their drinking.”
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