FDA to lift alcohol advertising ban

Measure will officially end early next month

BHANRAVEE TANSUBHAPOL & THAI NEWS AGENCY

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is preparing to lift its total ban on liquor advertising. FDA secretary-general Siriwat Tiptaradol said the ban would be officially lifted early next month after the food committee's meeting.

The move came after the Council of State on Dec 25 stood by its original ruling in late November that the FDA has no mandate to control alcohol advertisements in the media.

According to the government's legal advisory arm, any such ban would come under the mandate of the Office of the Consumer Protection Board, which is empowered to limit advertisements of any products which run counter to social culture and morality.

Dr Siriwat said the cabinet resolution required all public agencies to strictly abide by the ruling of the Council of State.

He added it would be too much of a hassle to activate the Public Health Ministry's back-up plan to get the Public Relations Department to stop alcohol advertisements from being aired 24 hours a day. The current ban is in force from 5am to 10pm.

Dr Siriwat said alcohol manufacturers are highly influential. The only way to keep the anti-alcohol campaign rolling was to push for the Alcohol Control Bill, he said.

Kamron Chudecha, coordinator of the Stop New Drinkers Group, yesterday urged the Council of State to quickly review the draft bill and forward it to the National Legislative Assembly for consideration.

Mr Kamron and 20 group members handed their petition to Prime Minister's Office Minister Prasit Kovilaikool, who oversees the Council of State.

They complained that the Council of State had been dragging its feet, saying there had been no progress since the draft, approved by the cabinet on Dec 7, reached the agency. They hope the act comes into force before Valentine's Day and the Songkran holiday, when there is heavy alcohol consumption.

Research by the Department of Juvenile Observation and Protection has found that young people are more likely to commit offences after they consume alcohol and that television advertisements are influential.

Conducted on youths in juvenile detention centres, the research also found that alcohol accounted for more than 38% of the stimulants used by them before committing offences such as rape and molestation.

More than 21% of the sample aged from 11 to 19 drank alcohol and the trend is likely to increase.

''Drinking alcohol and smoking are the starting point for juveniles to use other drugs such as methamphetamine, heroin and marijuana,'' the research said.

The research was conducted on 159 female juveniles and 1,139 male youths in several detention centres.

It found that TV advertisements are most influential in encouraging juveniles to drink, while friends are the most persuasive social group.

Beer is the most popular beverage, followed by whisky and white liquor.

One respondent tried alcohol at just five years old, while most others started drinking at the age of 15.

More than 40% of the youngsters would commit offences within five hours of drinking alcohol.

Grocery shops are the easiest place for juveniles to buy alcohol as it is more difficult for them to buy it at convenience stores or supermarkets, due to the strict ban on alcohol sales to youngsters.

The researchers suggested authorities closely monitor alcohol sales at grocery shops and launch a national campaign to create awareness of the effects of drinking alcohol among juveniles.

General News
Bangkok Post
Thursday January 25, 2007