By Princewill Ekwujuru

When Tobacco advertisement was banned by Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON), it drew reactions from several quarters, stakeholders in the advertising industry expected same law be applied to alcohol advertisement.

Then, the  drumbeat was heavy on tobacco advertisement ban, because it was believed in every segment, the public, religious circle and particularly the health sector that it was cancerous, and leads to untimely death, but then little did the public knew that alcohol kills in drove.

Today, it appears APCON has re-opened its book to look at the dangers of alcohol and alcohol advertisement, at the recent alcohol summit organised at the instance of APCON in collaboration with  the International Centre for Alcohol Policies (ICAP) and BSG, where Osita Chidoka, Corps Marshal and Chief Executive, FRSC, delivered a paper titled; Potential Harm of Irresponsible Alcohol Beverage Marketing: The Road Safety Point of View, where he also pointed out that all aspects of product marketing including advertising, labeling, consumer promotion, packaging and merchandising are integral part of promoting different brands of virtually all consumer goods,while noting that alcohol advertising encourages people to drink. Whilst  stressing that tremendous volume of alcohol advertising  boosts a sense of belonging, creating a mental picture that makes drinking fun and exciting.

Effects of alcohol advertising:
Alcohol advertisements can be seen virtually anywhere, especially known for sponsoring sporting events, concerts, etc. Road traffic crashes are one of the main causes of injury and death worldwide, since some of such incidents involve alcohol-impaired drivers.

Alcohol consumption impairs certain functions, such as visual acuity and reaction time, increasing the likelihood that accidents may occur.

In  crashes, 4 percent die every year due to alcohol consumption or its side effects,  9 percent of those who die of alcohol are between fifteen and twenty nine years old, whilst 2.5 million people die annually, and many more succumb to illness and injury, as a result of harmful alcohol use

He however observed  that sufficient warning has not made that those who drink and drive will drive to die. He suggested that effective strategies be put in place which should include targeted interventions, such as education, awareness building, responsible hospitality, and other measures

Chidoka explained advertising of alcoholic products does have effect to individual drinking and levels of alcohol-related harm, but that driving requires a variety of skills that can change continually.

He warned,  a driver must maintain alertness and be able to react quickly to hazards, see clearly, and possess the ability to judge distance and speed.

He went on to say drinking patterns can impair a number of the skills necessary for safely driving a motor vehicle and increase crash risk.

Impact of alcohol beverage marketing & communication on road users
The potential impact of alcohol is a factor influencing both the risk of a road crash as well as the severity of the injuries that result from crashes, The Corps Marshall hinted.

“Drinking and driving has been for a very long time an offense against the law of our beloved country. In high-income countries, about 20 percent of fatally injured drivers have excess alcohol in their blood, while in some low- and middle-income countries these figures may be up to 69 percent.

Factors that affect alcohol-related road crashes
He noted that teenagers are significantly more likely to be involved in a fatal crash than older drivers

A low expectation of getting caught with blood alcohol content above the legal limit has been shown to lead to an increased risk of a crash

Drinking and driving is illegal, always dangerous and often deadly

Marketing and advertising should never condone operation of machinery, driving or activities requiring heavy concentration before or while consuming beverage alcohol

The Effects of Alcohol on Driving

The immediate effects of alcohol on the brain are either depressing or stimulating in nature, depending on the quantity consumed

Alcohol can lead to a crash since it produces poor judgement, increased reaction time, lower vigilance and decreased visual sharpness

Alcohol is believed to affect other aspects of a driver’s safety such as seat-belt wearing, helmet use, and speed choice

Alcohol interrupts the driver’s skills and abilities when it spreads throughout the body system, affecting mainly the brain and the eyes

Alcohol does not affect everyone equally, the intensity varies from one person to another, e.g. age, the body weight, gender, (women are mostly affected), the amount taken either with food or empty stomach, and the health of their liver etc.

Solutions:
Effective drinking and driving programmes have the potential to save thousands of lives, and was identified by the World report on road traffic injury prevention as a proven and effective measure to reduce death and injury on the road safely driving a motor vehicle and increase crash risk.

Policies in Place:
A new policy is in place which makes it mandatory for commercial drivers license applicants to pass medical and physical examinations (including vision acuity, blood pressure, mental sanity, alcohol level in the blood and hearth related examinations)