UK - Drinks industry says no to link with drugs plan

14 December 2008. An Irish government plan to include alcohol in its national drugs strategy is being opposed by the drinks industry. John Curran, a junior minister in the Department of Community and Rural Affairs, wants to replace the national drugs strategy, which ran from 2001 to 2008, with one that deals with drugs and alcohol.

The Alcohol Beverage Federation of Ireland (ABF) said addressing legal alcohol consumption and illegal drug use together could be counter-productive. But Curran has defended the idea: “The new policy would acknowledge it's substance misuse and addiction that we are more concerned about, rather than the specific product,” he said. “We are aware young people who start drinking at, say, 12 are three or four times more likely to have an addiction problem than somebody who doesn't start until 16 or 17.”