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The research was conducted by researchers at The University of Queensland with people with current or previous high-risk alcohol use or gambling, many of whom are actively trying to reduce their alcohol use and/or gambling or remain abstained. The report provides case studies on how these people are targeted with alcohol and gambling while on Facebook.
The research found:
- Facebook tags people who are at risk of harm and trying to reduce their use of alcohol and gambling as interested in these addictive products to target them with advertising. Collectively, Facebook tagged these 10 people with 89 unique advertising interests related to alcohol and gambling to target them with advertising.
- Alcohol and gambling companies uploaded data on people who are at risk of harm and trying to reduce their use of alcohol or gambling to fuel targeted marketing Facebook. Together, 264 alcohol and gambling companies uploaded data about 10 people to the Facebook marketing algorithm for targeting.
- People who are trying to reduce their alcohol use or gambling don’t want to be profiled and targeted for alcohol and gambling and can find it impossible to escape this advertising when they are on social media. People are trying to block this advertising so they don’t see it, but platforms don’t allow for them to do so.
Mariana found herself frequently drinking at levels that put her health and wellbeing at risk and decided to take steps to reduce the amount she drinks – she has been trying to reduce her alcohol use over the past year. However, alcohol companies are voraciously trying to lure her back through targeting her with alcohol advertising on social media. We found that 123 alcohol advertisers have uploaded data about her to the Facebook marketing algorithm and that Facebook has tagged her with 25 alcohol related advertising interests to target her with marketing. A quarter of the ads she was targeted with on Facebook were related to alcohol. Specifically, they frequently targeted her previous alcohol use pattern by promoting alcohol use at pubs and events.
(Source: F.A.R.E)
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In a significant development, the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption, a stance articulated in a recent publication in The Lancet Public Health. Kristina Sperkova, in her analysis, highlights why this statement marks a pivotal moment in public health discourse.
The WHO’s comment underscores that even minimal alcohol consumption poses health risks, particularly cancer. Since alcohol has been classified as a carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, the WHO’s assertion reinforces the lack of safe consumption levels, aligning with mounting scientific evidence that challenges the concept of “responsible drinking.” Notably, according to the World Health Organization, “alcohol consumption is associated with 740,000 new cancer cases each year globally,” highlighting the substantial impact on public health.
Sperkova outlines six transformative aspects of the WHO’s publication:
- Synthesizing Knowledge: The statement consolidates decades of research, stressing that alcohol’s carcinogenic effects stem from its ethanol content, affecting all beverages equally.
- Clear Messaging: The WHO provides unambiguous messages, stating that cancer risks begin with the first drop of alcohol, making clarity in public health communication essential.
- Establishing Consensus: The publication moves away from the ambiguous term “harmful use of alcohol,” aligning global health policy with evidence-based language that reflects alcohol’s inherent risks.
- Contextualizing Harmful Use: By discarding the misleading notion of “harmless” alcohol consumption, the WHO challenges industry narratives and highlights the reality of alcohol-related harm.
- Defining Low-Dose Risks: The document specifies what constitutes low-dose alcohol use and its associated risks, aiming to raise public awareness about seemingly innocuous consumption levels.
- Highlighting Regional Burdens: The WHO comment provides data from the European region, the world’s heaviest alcohol-consuming area, exemplifying the significant cancer burden attributable to alcohol.
This publication is expected to catalyze changes in alcohol policy and public perception, encouraging a reevaluation of alcohol’s role in society. As Dry January challenges gain popularity, more individuals become aware of alcohol’s health implications, reinforcing the need for informed discussions and comprehensive policy reforms. The WHO’s declaration serves as a crucial call to action, urging global leaders to prioritize health over industry interests.
The WHO’s statement could lead to big changes in public health and how people live. With the idea that no amount of alcohol is safe, those in charge might need to make stricter rules to keep people healthy. For each person, this is a reminder to think about their drinking habits, even if they only drink a little. The WHO’s view might help more people talk about and understand the risks, encouraging a shift towards drinking less and living healthier lives.
Source: WRDNews
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A recent study led by researchers at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) has uncovered concerning tactics used by alcohol-industry-funded digital tools, highlighting their role in covert marketing strategies. The research examined apps and websites in five English-speaking countries across the Western Hemisphere and found that these tools often spread misinformation and employed ‘dark patterns’—design techniques that manipulate users’ choices against their best interests.
The findings reveal significant disparities between alcohol-industry-funded tools and independent alternatives. Only 33% of the former provided accurate feedback compared to 100% for non-industry-funded resources. Alarmingly, 67% of alcohol-industry-funded tools failed to mention cancer risks, and 80% omitted information on cardiovascular disease. Additionally, 47% of these apps promoted narratives that favour the alcohol industry, encouraging consumption through techniques like priming nudges and social norming.
Dr Elliot Roy-Highley, a co-author of the study, emphasised the need for public awareness about the misleading nature of these apps. He stated that the findings indicate a deliberate attempt to obscure the risks associated with excessive alcohol use, echoing tactics previously employed by the tobacco industry. The researchers are calling for stricter regulations to protect consumers, suggesting that guidelines similar to those advising against tobacco industry-funded resources should also apply to alcohol-related tools.
Professor Mark Petticrew, another co-author, highlighted the importance of shining a light on these ‘dark apps’ to help inform future public health initiatives. As discussions continue on how to address these issues, the researchers hope that their framework will assist in screening digital tools for public use, ensuring they provide accurate health information.
The study underscores the pressing need for clearer labelling and consumer education regarding alcohol consumption, urging both the public and health professionals to be vigilant about the potential risks associated with alcohol-industry-funded apps.
This research highlights how the alcohol industry can be misleading, reminding us just how important it is to trust independent health sources for accurate information about alcohol consumption. It’s crucial for us to stay informed and make choices that genuinely support our health and well-being.
Source: Movendi
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The Interconnection Between Alcohol and Crime: Alcohol consumption is intricately linked to crime and antisocial behaviour, contributing significantly to 
Alcohol’s Broader Societal Impact: The repercussions of alcohol-related crime and antisocial behaviour extend beyond the individuals directly involved, affecting entire communities, society, and the economy. It severely influences perceptions of safety and security, especially in urban centres. Numerous studies have confirmed a positive correlation between alcohol consumption and criminal violence rates, suggesting that increased drinking leads to more violence, while reduced consumption results in less violence.
Statistical Insights on Alcohol and Violence: The Institute of Alcohol Studies has presented robust evidence linking alcohol availability to violence, indicating that as opportunities to purchase alcohol increase, so do violence levels. The Health Research Board estimates that 30% to 65% of certain crimes are associated with alcohol use. The World Health Organization (WHO) findings further align with this, revealing that one-third to one-half of violent perpetrators had consumed alcohol before the incident.
Economic Costs of Alcohol-Related Crime: The costs of alcohol-related crime are multifaceted, encompassing direct costs to the criminal justice system—such as policing, prison, and court expenses—as well as indirect costs like lost productivity and costs borne by crime victims. Research in Australia found that the largest alcohol-related crime costs fell on victims, followed by prison and policing costs. In Ireland, the costs of alcohol harm, including crime, are estimated to be around 1.9% of GDP, equating to approximately €9.6bn to €12bn annually. Crime-related costs are about 11% of this total, suggesting that alcohol-related crime costs the state €1-1.3bn each year.
Alcohol-Related Violence in the Home: Domestic violence related to alcohol often goes unreported, making it challenging to calculate its full economic and human costs. Research indicates a strong association between alcohol retailer density and increased violence, assault, and domestic violence rates. In Ireland, 73% of the population lives within 300 metres of a licensed premises, with off-licence numbers rising by 95% from 2003 to 2021. Nearly 50% of all alcohol in Ireland is purchased on the off trade, impacting domestic violence rates significantly.
The Role of Alcohol in Sexual Assaults: Alcohol consumption is often involved in sexual assaults, though it is crucial to stress that responsibility for such assaults always lies with the perpetrator. In Ireland, 76% of rape defendants had consumed alcohol at the time of the alleged offence. The Rape Crisis Network Ireland identifies alcohol as the most common drug used in sexual assaults.
Impact on Road Safety: Alcohol impairment is a leading factor in road safety, contributing to road collisions and fatalities. Drink driving accounts for 11% of the total cost of alcohol-related harm in Ireland. More than one-third of road user fatalities involved alcohol consumption prior to the incident, with 5,527 drink driving incidents recorded in 2022.
Alcohol and Youth Crime: Alcohol plays a significant role in youth crimes, with alcohol and/or drug use often being the main offences leading young people to engage with law enforcement. Research shows that 86% of probation services clients aged 18-24 reported alcohol and/or drug use, with 38% linking alcohol to their crimes.
Data Limitations and the Underestimated Role of Alcohol in Crime: Despite its significant role, the impact of alcohol on crime is often underestimated due to underreporting, particularly in minor offences, and insufficient data collection. Comprehensive and consistent data collection is essential for understanding the full impact of alcohol-related crime on society.
Strategies for Reducing Alcohol-Related Crime: Reducing alcohol consumption through controls on price, marketing, and availability is seen as a primary strategy to curb alcohol-related crime. Reaching the government’s target of reducing alcohol consumption to 9.1 litres of pure alcohol per capita is crucial. The Cardiff Model for violence prevention is recommended, involving systematic data collection, research on violence risk factors, and implementing effective interventions. (Source: WRD News)
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Study Design May Bias the Estimation of the Health Effects of Low-dose Alcohol Consumption
Whether or not low-dose* alcohol consumption confers health benefits has been a recurring question. This systematic review and meta-analysis assessed data from 107 longitudinal studies to investigate whether certain study characteristics may bias estimates of all-cause mortality risk associated with low-dose alcohol consumption by comparing people with low-dose drinking* with those who are not drinking due to health reasons. The authors hypothesized that studies following people from a younger age, and characterizing abstinence as the total absence of drinking over the lifetime, would not find health benefits for low-dose drinking.
- Studies with younger cohorts (i.e., mean cohort age of ≤55, followed up beyond 55 years), and studies separating people with former drinking from lifetime abstainers did not find health benefits associated with low-dose drinking (risk ratio [RR], 0.98).
- Conversely, studies not meeting these criteria estimated lower risk among people with low-dose drinking compared with abstainers (RR, 0.84).
* Defined as consuming “between one drink per week (>1.30 g ethanol/day) and two drinks per day (<25 g ethanol/day).”
Comments: These results indicate that studying older cohorts and using comparison groups that include people with former drinking leads to biased estimates of the impact of low-dose alcohol consumption, making it appear to be potentially beneficial. These findings have important implications for appropriately assessing the impact of alcohol on population health, and providing credible drinking guidelines to the public.
Nicolas Bertholet, MD, MSc
Reference: Stockwell T, Zhao J, Clay J, et al. Why do only some cohort studies find health benefits from low-volume alcohol use? A systematic review and meta-analysis of study characteristics that may bias mortality risk estimates. J Stud Alcohol Drugs. 2024;85(4):441–452. (Source: Grayken Center for Addiction – Boston Medical)
Also see
- Stop Targeting Kids with Alcohol Ads No
- “Holiday Heart Syndrome” is no ‘holiday’ for the heart! Acute Alcohol Consumption and Its Impact on Heart Rate and Arrhythmias
- Study Shows Impact of Alcohol Health-Warning Labels on Public Knowledge
- Experts Warn Against Normalising Alcohol with Zero-Alcohol Drinks for Teens