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MINISTER FOR HEALTH Simon Harris has written to Irish media outlets asking them not to use Drinkaware information.
Drinkaware, an initiative that promotes safe drinking, is funded by major drinks brands including Diageo and Heineken.
Instead of using Drinkaware.ie information, Harris points organisation to the facts and data provided by the HSE.
The HSE’s website askaboutalchohol.ie was launched in March 2017 with the aim of providing a dedicated platform for guidance, information and advice about the dangers of alcohol.
“It has come to my attention that some media and other organisations are providing the public with information from the alcohol-industry funded initiative Drinkaware,” Harris writes.
“I am writing to ask to you to consider using the HSE’s askaboutalcohol.ie information
resource for the public when providing information about alcohol and to do so instead of
using alcohol-industry funded resources,” he continues.
Harris warns that alcohol consumption remains high in Ireland compared to the rest of the world.
The health minister has previously been critical of the involvement of the drinks industry in alcohol information programmes.
He writes that it is important “especially in an era where misinformation and disinformation are challenges for our society, that the public can access evidence-based information from sources they can trust, and where there is optimal clarity and transparency about both the information provided and the source providing”.
“We are all aware of critical health issues where this is an ongoing challenge, for example in relation to vaccinations,” Harris adds.
The media in Ireland has a track record, underpinned by principles of good journalism, of supporting the public by providing information, creating awareness and supporting greater knowledge and understanding to help empower people around their own health and wellbeing. In this context I hope that you will re-consider using alcohol-industry funded source of information
Helpline
The government also announced that it is considering creating a helpline for people suffering from addiction.
Harris, alongside minister Catherine Byrne – who is responsible for the government’s national drug strategy – has asked the HSE to examine the possibility of establishing a helpline similar to the FRANK service found in the UK.
The helpline would aim to provide information to children and teenagers, as well as offering guidance and support to families.
In Ireland, cannabis and cocaine are some of the most commonly used drugs. Recent years have seen concerns that problem cocaine use is increasing.
“I strongly believe this helpline could offer people an avenue of support. I also strongly believe that people who are in recovery should be at the other end of the line too. Nobody can speak to this better than those who have experienced it,” Harris said.
“Obviously this has to be matched by professionals but few people understand the scourge of addiction better than those who experience it,” he added.
On Tuesday, planning permission was granted for Ireland’s first supervised injecting facility in Dublin city centre after three years of back-and-forth discussions between Dublin City Council and Merchants Quay Ireland.
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Harris is completely useless. Is there any evidence that drinkaware provides misleading information?
Perhaps we will soon read about a website that cost more than any other website and receives no traffic.
@Wreck Tangle:
what a foolish little tool is Simon Harris !
Exactly what is he trying to achieve here ?
Trying to promote an image of himself as being tough, edgy and innovative most likely
In fact he’s anything but – the opposite in fact.
@Jazz Buckler: In all honesty, the man is a waste of a good underpants.
If we’re learned anything from the cigarette industry we should know that we can never trust the drink industry to have our health and best interests at heart.
The drink industry like the cigarette industry will always play down the risks and lobby against anything that will hurt their profits. They spend millions each year on lobbying.
They don’t care about how many peoples lives are ruined by drink, the countless staff hours wasted dealing with people who’ve drank too much pretty much every day of the week in A&E.
Drink is far too socially acceptable in Ireland, much of the harm it causes is ignored by the avg Joe.
@Barry: so do you honestly believe the goverment spin?????? Askabout alcohol
I suppose you yhink harris is doing a great job too
Where can I get accurate information on the government?
@jamesdecay: nowhere
Coming from the worst minister for health to don shoe leather that has to be a joke.
That man is a waste of oxygen.
Tuned into rte1 last night to get the news at nine. Was a little early and fair City was on. All in the pub having drinks and 1 woman slapped another cross the face. All before the Watershed. When are you Simon Harris going to deal with this indirect advertising of alcohol and ithe violence shown on this show??. RTÉ should receive a definition of watershed cause its taking no heed with this soap and thats just the Irish one. What bout the rest eastenders etc too ?
@C_O’S: You ok hun??
@C_O’S: there is no watershed in Ireland.
@C_O’S: Before the watershed are you serious. What the “children” can see in real life and on their phones is a hundred times worse.
All of the people were actors showing what can happen and telling a story.
Or would you rather have everyone totally unaware of the realities of life
He’s correct. Drink companies don’t make money reducing pint consumption. Same with cigarettes. Same old tricks, since the early 1900′s. Every single study on the matter of big corporations cosing up to any regulators results in increased product usage and poses a risk to our health, though none are more threatening than big pharma cash in our health sectors. When these two meet misinformstion, pseudoscience, drug usage and negative patient outcomes bloom https://www.bmj.com/content/326/7400/1189. We know this. The hyprocacy of the guy – so vocally concerned about misinformstion when 1/3 of his senior doctors are paid by big pharma. https://www.businesspost.ie/news-focus/how-doctors-and-hospitals-cash-in-from-big-pharma-edb1b5a0.
That information was dug up by brilliant reporting. Not given voluntarily, as it should be.
Don’t fully trust anyone with your health. Read a book and in times of bad health always get a second opinion from a doctor of a different leaning.
‘misinformation’ and ‘disinformation’ what’s the difference?
@Annette Hunter: one is accidental (mis) the other has intent (dis).
@Annette Hunter: Simon Harris apparently
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/sep/11/advisers-threaten-to-quit-public-health-england-over-drink-free-days-campaign – it sounds like Alcohol industry advertising re safe alochol drinking practices is advisable as tobacco companies advising re safe cigarette smoking practices
And the (dis) information we receive from the Depth of Health is to be trusted?
I’m asking the media not to use information from Simon Harris.
@Anna69xxa: thanks Anna , are those photos mis information or dis information -ive had a few beers over the xmas and am easily confused …..
Alcohol is hugely damaging to your health both mentally and physically, no matter how much its downplayed. This is coming from someone who drinks, and everyone who drinks who says otherwise or overstates the enjoyment and relaxation it offers ect is in denial about the harm.. I drank flip all this week, all because i drank a bit too much at the weekend and i felt like death the next day. The worst part is mentally, it messes with your moods because youre fighting a losing battle with tiredness and trying to get through the day, Its all self inflicted and i dont even drink that much, one bottle of wine a week on average is hardly going mad., but i think any alcohol messes with your entire system, i wish i could just do without it, but its become a weekly habit that i cant convince myself not to do
For the first time I agree with Harris. Media should be getting this information from an independent source and not something from the drinks company. It should be the same with drugs and gambling as well. Harris is still useless. How can a person whose only experience is making tea be made a health minister in charge of multi billion euro budget.
@John Smith Esq: I think we all know how Simon got his post -as with most FG appointments (particularly with Kenny) – for loyalty to the leader. Thats all that is needed.
@John Smith Esq: a independent source ie the government????????
Is simon suggesting we can’t trust the drinks industry?
Will this little whipper snapper ever go away!
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