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The issue of Scotland's drinking culture comes up frequently and the general consensus is that we need to change the culture. However, we often forget that we had an embedded smoking culture for many years. It would have been difficult to imagine 30 years ago that we would ever be in the position where we had smokefree legislation or indeed that smoking had become a minority habit. Whilst the goal for tobacco control is to encourage people not to smoke at all, for alcohol the goal is not to stop people drinking but to stop people drinking at levels that put their health at risk. Are there lessons that advocates for alcohol control that can learn from the tobacco control movement. In particular, how might we move towards a culture where low alcohol consumption is valued and is the norm.

Speakers:

Sheila Duffy, CEO, ASH Scotland, "How did we change the smoking culture in Scotland"

Evelyn Gillan, CEO, Alcohol Focus Scotland, "What might we learn from the tobacco control movement"

If you wish to attend this meeting please email diane.thomson@alcohol-focus-scotland.org.uk