Alcohol glamour sends mixed signals to young people, expert says

Alcohol is still associated with glamour, relaxation and rewarding oneself in Estonian society, Anneli Sammel, head of the drug and addiction department at the National Institute for Health Development, said on ERR’s Radio 2 morning programme.

Sammel said adults should not normalise drinking because it sends young people contradictory messages. While they are told that alcohol is harmful, they also see adults presenting it as glamorous.

“There is no safe level of alcohol consumption. The less, the better,” Sammel said.

September will again bring the “September Without Alcohol” campaign, which was first held in 2003. Students launched the initiative, the National Institute for Health Development joined it in 2017, and the Health Insurance Fund now also supports it.

This year’s slogan is “Push alcohol out of the picture”. Sammel said people should avoid reinforcing drinking rituals, such as posting photos of a relaxing holiday moment or celebrating with a glass in hand on social media.

She said restrictions that separate alcohol displays from other products in shops and prohibit alcohol sales after 10 p.m. have had a significant impact. Limiting the visibility of alcohol advertising and its availability are the main evidence-based measures available to society, she said.

Sammel added that helping people affected by alcohol problems is more expensive for society than restricting alcohol availability to some extent, because families and colleagues also suffer the consequences.