🍺

Evidence, Policy, and Professional Responsibility

The Scale

• £21bn annual cost to England
• 7,800 alcohol-specific deaths in 2024
• Leading cause of death: ages 15-49
• And yet — treated very differently to other drugs

FASD: The Hidden Issue

• Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: caused by alcohol in pregnancy
• 1 in 67 births to drinking mothers
• Under-diagnosed — often misidentified as ADHD, autism
• Irreversible neurological impairment
• Major safeguarding and education implication

What Works: The Evidence

• Minimum unit pricing (Scotland): measurably fewer deaths
• Advertising restrictions: reduce youth uptake
• Licensing density controls: reduce street violence
• IBA in primary care: proven cost-effective
• But: industry lobbying slows adoption of all these measures

Industry and Policy

• Alcohol industry funds research that downplays harms
• Lobbies against minimum pricing, advertising restrictions
• Partners with government on 'voluntary' pledges instead of regulation
• Critical evaluation of sources is essential for any professional

Your Professional Role

• IBA: a 5-minute conversation that changes outcomes
• Parental alcohol use: significant child protection factor
• Non-judgmental, accurate information: the evidence-based approach
• Know your referral pathways before you need them

🌍

Policy should follow the science.