“This campaign does not aim to reduce consumption, and that is a problem,” says a Parisian senator

The “It’s the base” prevention campaign, launched Monday September 25 by the government, against alcohol among young people, receives a mixed reception. “This campaign does not encourage reducing alcohol consumption, it’s problematic”estimates on franceinfo Bernard Jomier, socialist senator from Paris and doctor.

In detail, the senator and doctor believes that “this new campaign associates alcohol with partying, as if it were normal to be drunk at a party. It does not carry any message about the risks, it only carries messages to support consumption. The messages incentives to reduce alcohol consumption have disappeared”.

One of the three leading causes of death in the country

The alcohol prevention campaign for young people includes several slogans, such as “Also drink water, if you consume alcohol”, “Keep an eye on your friends in the evening”or “Take your friends home if they’ve had too much to drink”. Each sentence is accompanied by the slogan: “This is the basis”.

According to Bernard Jomier, this campaign only carries messages to support consumption, because “the head of state does not want messages that reduce alcohol consumption”. He believes that he is “logical that the alcohol industry wants to sell its products”but insists: “The public authorities are responsible for the general interest, it is at the Elysée that this is decided”. Bernard Jomier adds that those involved in prevention, the federations and associations, have not worked together to carry out this campaign.

Finally, the senator and doctor recalls these figures: alcohol is one of the three leading causes of death in France, with smoking and air pollution. “By decoupling alcohol consumption from its problems, we trivialize it and encourage it.”