Policy & Practice: Briefing - Ofcom assesses influence of alcoholads

So do ads make young people drink more? Now that's a complicated question to which there is no easy answer and into which many highly skilled researchers must continue to look.

Oh dear, I feared as much. Is there nothing we can say? Ofcom, the regulator of the UK's communications industries, looked at the evidence and decided on balance that alcohol advertising has some influence, but this is far less than factors such as parental behaviour and peer pressure. But, as we are all aware, there is concern about binge drinking and Ofcom decided it was time to revisit the code that applies to broadcast advertising for alcohol and young people. It consulted in 2004 and brought in rules in early 2005 requiring that alcohol advertising must not be likely to appeal to people under 18. In particular it must not associate itself with youth culture. Ofcom acknowledged that industry campaigns would be in the pipeline so a grace period was allowed until autumn 2005.