Alcohol Reduction Strategy in England: History, Designing Plan for Young Population, Evaluation Strategy

Health Promotion

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. History of Alcohol reduction strategy in England...................................................................3
2. Designing alcohol reduction plan for young population in the UK.........................................5
3. Evaluation strategy for the alcohol reduction program...........................................................7
References..................................................................................................................................10

1. History of Alcohol reduction strategy in England
The UK has been facing a serious problem of alcohol consumption but the 1970s saw a
beginning in the concerns related to alcohol reduction and health promotions tactics and
strategies. The alcohol policies were always tied to cultural changes since the beginning and
there were efforts to bring cultural change via legislations. Since the beginning the aim of the
licensing legislations, except for regulation of markets in Britain, were focussed on the
prevention of the alcohol disorder. The government has been using the licensing reforms like a
mechanism for civilizing the popular drinking culture in the country. The basic idea that alcohol
poses dangers for the British population emerged in the decade and awareness started happening
through mass media advertisements, television and posters (Mold, 2020). The materials majorly
focussed on showcasing the risks that are associated with excessive drinking like the liver
damage, drunkenness, hangovers and neglecting the children. The health promotion tactics and
materials were mainly aimed at reaching out to the heavy drinkers or alcoholics. The language
was not very explicit but this started changing overtime. In 1972, the report of the departmental
committee on licensing which is also known as the Erroll report argues that only extreme legal
interventions can have a major impact on the reduction of alcohol consumption. But no major
steps were taken in this as the report concluded that majority of the drinkers consumed
moderately and should not be the subject to unnecessary alcohol based legislative interreferences
and that they have independence in drinking as a part of their choice (Hawkins and
McCambridge, 2020).
The concerns of alcohol abuse started rising since 1980s in the UK, when the major
milestone that was achieved in terms of reduction in alcohol usage was the establishment of
Alcohol change UK. The registered charity and campaign group was founded in 1984 with the
aim of reducing harms due to alcohol consumption. One of the most popular awareness programs
that the campaign group spread are Dry January and Alcohol awareness week. By the late 1980s,
majority of the alcohol awareness campaigns aimed at all the drinkers instead of alcoholics and
the fostering of the sensible drinking and consumption within the safe limits started. The risks
and the framing of excessive alcohol consumption started out as health problem when in the
individuals in various parts across Europe started developing specific diseases such as high
cholesterol, high blood pressure and liver issues (Barata and et.al., 2017).
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The heavy promotion of the sensible or moderation in alcohol consumption started
becoming a primary feature in the health educational and alcohol polices in the 1990s. Health
campaigns like “Take it easy when you are drinking at home” and “its easy to get carried away
while you are drinking at home” started launching in 1990s. by 2000s, National health strategy
was started by the government which encompassed alcohol reduction benefits. By 2012, the UK
government launched a National Alcohol strategy which set out polices like banning the scale at
which multi discount sale of alcohol happened, the instilling of zero tolerance for alcohol
consumption or drunken behaviour in A&E organisations, empowering the ability to strop
serving alcohol to drunks, a late-night charge for going to pubs or clubs and helping for the
payment of policing. The entire plan was aimed at the reduction of the binge drinking and for
moving the crime rates down along with tackling the health issues (Roerecke and et.al., 2017).
The Ottawa charter for the health promotion that occurred in 1986 was an international
health promotion campaign which was a major response to the rising expectations of health
movements globally. Promoting wellness is the method of allowing individuals to increase
control over and enhance their health. A person or community must be able to recognize and
realize goals, to meet needs, and to alter or cope with the environment in order to reach a state of
full physical, mental and social well-being. Therefore, wellness is seen as a resource for daily
life, not the purpose of living. Health is a positive philosophy that emphasizes both social and
personal wealth and physical capabilities. As a result, health promotion is not only the
responsibility of the health sector, but also applies to well-being beyond safe lifestyles. Post
International Conference on Primary Health Care, Alma-Ata, September 1978, stressing the
requirement for immediate national actions for protection and the promotion of the health of all,
determining that it as a fundamental human right and that the achievement of the maximum level
of health is the most important social aim in the world, the accomplishment of which includes
the action of the various sectors (Thompson, Watson and Tilford, 2018).
The Drinkaware campaign is a major alcohol reduction campaign and an educational
charity that encourages the middle-aged population of the UK to use up more drink free days as a
tool to help reduce the alcohol intake. The public health of England has partnered up with the
Drinkaware to reduce dangerous effects of the alcohol. This has been indeed a new type of
partnership and relationship with the alcohol industry. PHE's campaigns have a long track record
of fostering behavioral change and helping people use digital resources to take action. About 9
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