Sarah Wollaston, Conservative MP and a GP, is proposing that the government adopt French legislation that allows alcohol advertising in the media but ensures it is aimed at adults only.
It follows a report published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) by Professor Gerard Hastings and Dr Nick Sheron, which stated: "For every pound spent advising young people about the downsides of drinking, several hundred pounds are spent encouraging them to drink more."
France introduced the Loi Evin measure in 1991 to protect children from alcohol marketing and it is seen as a major factor in the country's effort to reduce alcohol abuse.
Alcohol consumption in France has been falling consistently since 1960, whereas the UK has one of the highest levels of binge drinking, according to the BMJ. The study also found that in 2008, there were more than 600 alcohol-related deaths, almost two a day, among 15- to 24 year-olds in England and Wales.
The bill proposes to ban alcohol promotion for all sports sponsorship deals and on all social media sites, television and in the cinema – except for 18-rated films.
Last week, CYP Now reported that six health groups had refused to sign up to the government’s responsibility deal on alcohol, which proposed that the drinks industry take voluntary measures to label products responsibly.
