ARAPO Updates
Winter 2005
New ARAPO Research Paper
ARAPO is proud to release its most recent resource on alcohol advertising in Canada. A new research paper entitled "The Effectiveness of Regulating Alcohol Advertising: Policies and Public Health", takes a comprehensive look at the current policies used to regulate alcohol advertising in Canada and throughout the world. The effectiveness of alcohol advertising control policies were assessed using current research and Canadian informants in the field of alcohol and alcohol advertising control issues.
Why Control Alcohol Advertising?
Alcohol advertising seems to be everywhere. It is on our television programs and radio stations, in our magazines, and on our bus shelters. In 2003, there were nearly 700,000 alcohol ads aired across Canada with over 400,000 airing in Ontario alone.
The alcohol industry uses loud popular music…young, good looking partiers…humour…sex appeal…and other techniques to sell their product and create the image that the good life is full of alcohol. These characteristics of ads are arguably popular to those of legal drinking age; however, there is a huge spill over market into the underage category that these ads are just as attractive to. What the alcohol advertisements fail to tell is that:
- Exposure to alcohol advertising results in youth having a more favourable attitude towards drinking, and a greater intention to drink as adults;
- Exposure or awareness of alcohol advertising may lead to heavier or more frequent drinking; and
- Exposure to alcohol advertising significantly increases the risk of adolescent alcohol use and associated consequences.
"Adolescents start to drink in response to advertising
and other influences in their everyday environment
and continue to drink in response to advertising…"
—Ellickson et al., 2005
What are the Alcohol Advertising Control Policies in Canada?
Before June 1995, the Canadian federal government, through the Canadian Radio-television Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), held mandatory pre-clearance of all alcohol advertisements. All advertisements were required to meet the CRTCís Code for Broadcast Advertising of Alcoholic Beverages before public distribution. In 1997, the CRTC disbanded the mandatory pre-clearance process of alcohol advertisements. Since then, efforts to control alcohol advertisements have been left to the provinces, broadcasters, and the industry themselves on a voluntary basis.
Political pressure from the Association of Canadian Distillers and government funding restraints were significant events around this time and may have influenced the relaxation of the mandatory pre-clearance process. The industry now pays Advertising Standards Canada (ASC), an advertising review agency, to assist in complying with the national CRTC regulations for broadcast advertising. In 2002, ASC expanded its review services to include the Ontario guidelines set out by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO). As such, efforts to control alcohol advertisements are paid by the industry and are enforced under the Liquor Licence Act, whereby no Ontario advertiser may advertise liquor unless it is follows the guidelines set by AGCO.
"The extent to which these restriction and guidelines are enforced,
in practice, remains a matter of grave concern among
those working in the felids of public health and
safety in Ontario."
—Hovius & Solomon, 2001
What are the Limitations of the Alcohol Advertising Control Policies in Canada?
There are difficulties in regulating all sources of alcohol advertisements using the current system because:
- the system only covers traditional media (i.e. print, radio, television) and does not control all types of advertising including: product placements in movies and television programs, sponsorship of youth functions, or the Internet; and
- there are challenges presented by international trade agreements.
The Guidelines set by Advertising Standards Agencies are:
- unclear and not comprehensive, and
- can be disregarded by the industry.
The Complaint Process offered by Advertising Standards Agencies is:
- confusing with multiple sets of regulating codes and procedures;
- relatively unknown by the public; and
- according to some, a band-aid solution.
Once the advertisement is in public view, "the damage has
already been done — the ad is out there, the public has
seen it and has reacted to it"
—Key Informant, 2005
What are the Solutions?
One solution is to implement new and effective alcohol advertising control policies. Research has suggested that the gold standard would be to implement a complete ban on all alcohol advertisements. More and more studies are finding that complete bans are effective in reducing alcohol usage and its negative effects, such as drinking and driving.
"We would all be better served if there were
more limits to the [alcohol] industriesí right
to advertise"
—Key Informant, 2005
A complete ban on all alcohol advertisements is an ambitious goal, which should be worked towards. However, in the interim there are a number of improvements that could be made to the current system to better control alcohol promotion and protect Canadian youth against potential negative effects. Examples of how to improve the current regulatory system include:
- Reinstate mandatory pre-clearance of alcohol advertisements, at the final stage of production by federal and provincial bodies with a strong public interest mandate;
- Have one standard set of guidelines all agencies use for pre-clearance and complaint systems; and
- Cap the total quantity of alcohol advertising, and use stricter threshold policies for audiences with youth in attendance.
What you can do to Protect Public Health and Safety?
- Complain to politicians, the industry, and advertising standards agencies about the current regulatory system and about specific alcohol advertisements.
- Pressure politicians to mandate alcohol advertising control policies with proven effectiveness (e.g. complete alcohol advertising bans).
- Educate the community, including youth, about the laws and regulations.
A detailed look into effective alcohol control policies and recommendations to governing bodies, advertising standards agencies, and public health professionals are available in the full report.
"The Effectiveness of Regulating Alcohol Advertising: Policies and Public Health" [PDF, 148kb] is available to download free of charge. Printed copies can be obtained by contacting the ARAPO coordinator.
Alcohol Health Warning Labels
Alcohol health warning labels in Ontario and across the country are displayed voluntarily on alcohol products or on alcohol advertisements, specifically to communicate the potential harm or consequences of using alcohol products. In Canada, some alcohol advertisers include cautionary statements on advertisements and beverages, while others may include "moderation messages", such as, promoting responsible drinking or drinking in moderation.
In November 2005, Mountain Crest Brewing Company became the first Canadian brewing company to voluntarily mandate the use of warning labels on all its beers, which comes into effect immediately. The company sells primarily in Alberta and Manitoba and is set to expand its market into Ontario next year. The company has chosen to include the following warning label on all beer cans:
"WARNING: Please drink responsibly.
Never Drink and Drive. If you are pregnant, avoid alcohol"
Mandate Alcohol Health Warning Labels
A call for stronger policies surrounding alcohol health warning labels is not a new issue in Canada. It was originally introduced in parliament by the Minister of Health, the Honourable Marc Lalonde in 1978. In 1988, the United States government mandated warning labels on all alcohol beverages and the Canadian government followed suit. This advance was soon was overruled and as a result no action taken.
For well over 10 years, Ontario M.P. Mr.
Paul Szabo has been calling for mandatory health warning labels
on all beer, wine, and liquor manufactured products across the
country. Mr. Szabo argues that, "beverage alcohol is the
only consumer product in Canada that is known to cause harm
if misused that does not alert the consumer to that fact."
He recommends full mandatory use of health warning labels on
alcohol beverages enforced by the federal government. Mr. Szabo's
thoughts on warning labels, specifically to Fetal Alcohol Syndrome,
are summarized in his book entitled Fetal
Alcohol Syndrome: The Real Brain Drain [PDF, 440kb].
This proposal does not come without opposition from the alcohol industry. However, there is a strong public support for the mandatory use of alcohol health warning labels. In a recent study, 70% of Ontario respondents supported the statement that, "alcoholic beverages should have warning labels with regard to health hazards" (Giesbrecht, et al., 2005).
Effective Alcohol Health Warning Labels
In order for mandatory use of alcohol health warning labels ‚ there needs to be solid research to move forward to assure the most effective policies and warning labels are used. From tobacco research, health warning labels can be effective in changing attitudes and behaviours if they (Fox, Drugman, Fletcher & Fischer, 1998):
- contain simple, straight-forward messaging suitable for low-literacy individuals;
- contain large fonts and graphics;
- are believable; and
- are comprehendible (e.g., no medical jargon).
The mandatory use of alcohol warning labels is only one of the many ways to increase protection of Canadians. More support for the mandatory use of warning labels is needed along with ongoing research in how to use health warning labels most effectively.
If you would like to write a letter about the mandatory use of alcohol warning labels contact your local Minister of Parliament or contact Mr. Paul Szabo, M.P.
ARAPO gratefully acknowledges the support of the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care for its programming.
ARAPO is the host of APN's Alcohol Advertising Information Pack.