Government plans to curb excess drinking

Government plans to crack down on excess drinking among the underage, young adults and older people will be unveiled later.

Four years after the first alcohol strategy was published, the paper compiled by the Home Office and the Department of Health will set out its aim of getting drinkers to take responsibility for their boozing.

In a bid to reduce binge drinking among young people and to prevent under 18s getting involved with alcohol, the paper will also focus on educating older people who may be drinking to unsafe levels at home.

A Home Office spokesman said: "What it is going to be looking at is three broad-based groups. That includes underage drinkers, binge drinkers and slightly older stay-at-home drinkers who may not know what damage they are doing to themselves."

Meanwhile, the link between promotions of alcohol by brewers and retailers is expected to come under the spotlight.

The British Medical Association has already called for alcohol advertising to be banned because of rising levels of binge drinking.

Other suggestions likely to form part of the document include more health warnings, changes to labelling and moves to tackle drink-related violence.

It is also expected to pledge a new wave of tough advertising campaigns, based on the existing "Know Your Limits" advertising which uses shock tactics to deliver messages about the dangers of drink.

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