By Phil Cain
Alcohol-free drinks mimicking alcoholic ones–and often also promoting alcohol brands–do not seem to be very helpful in reducing or eliminating alcohol intake, and may be counterproductive. We need to look beyond them.
A group of eminent alcohol harm experts warned earlier this year that we should “not take market-led solutions to public health problems at face value”. And a study last week suggested we think twice before promoting them to young people.
At the population level alcohol-free drink hype diverts valuable public attention from evidence-based policy solutions. Why get bogged down in price, availability and marketing measures if the drinks industry has a cool product which fixes the problem?
On the individual level the overhyped promise of alcohol-free drinks diverts us from taking steps which might really help reduce our alcohol consumption. Switching to the 0.0 version of alcoholic drink seems very simple, but is also not very effective.
The problem with a 0.0 switch is that it probably means we are exposing ourselves to environments and social groups in which we habitually drank alcohol. This is exposing ourselves to alcohol drinking cues that make cutting down more difficult.
It is possible to socialise in alcohol drinking groups. But it is among the most challenging situations and is typically never quite the same as when one was drinking oneself. It probably pays to look for kicks, relaxation and laughs elsewhere.
There are many sources of help out there, but it is probably helpful to learn from public health by creating a barrier between ourselves and the product we want to avoid. We can increase its price, reduce its availability and stop marketing it to ourselves.
Practically this may mean: removing alcohol products from our homes; reducing our participation in drinking occasions; finding alcohol free social and recreational activities; and finding new sources of support and community without alcohol.
There are as may ways to push alcohol to the wings of our lives rather than centre stage as there are people. It seems likely that it will help us to have serious doubts about the usefulness of consuming drinks very like the ones we are trying to avoid, despite all the hype. ■