Psychologist logo

Alcohol problem

Should The Psychologist accept alcohol advertising?

08 March 2017

I was concerned to receive a £60 wine voucher from Naked Wines with my copy of The Psychologist.

Although I understand that advertising is an important source of income for the Society, there are important ethical implications in advertising alcohol. Of course alcohol is legal, and people are invited to drink ‘responsibly’, but alcohol has a huge impact in the UK: there are clear and adverse medical, financial, psychological and judicial outcomes. Scientific evidence now points strongly to there being no safe limit of alcohol.

What do other readers think? Should The Psychologist’s policy preclude the advertising of alcohol, or should the British Psychological Society contribute to normalising the alcohol industry’s message?

Dr Jean Debarros
Clinical Psychologist and Psychotherapist
Oxford

Editor's note: This issue is on the agenda for the next meeting of the Psychologist and Digest Editorial Advisory Committee. Tweet your views @psychmag, or email us on [email protected].