Fighting for “share of throat”: The alcohol industry wants our youth!

Rationale and Goal: Increasingly sophisticated marketing tactics are being used by the alcohol industry to encourage pro-drinking attitudes and behaviors among youth. As the age of onset for alcohol use continues to decrease, it is imperative that these vectors contributing to early initiation, increased level of use and greater likelihood of serious consequences in the future, are stopped. This presentation will explore evidence from Canada and the US and provide advocacy and policy options to reduce the burden of harm. Methods: Research on alcohol marketing was examined with a special focus on youth-directed messaging. Marketing strategies included exposure to corporate branding with in-school, industry-sponsored youth programming in Atlantic Canada. Alcohol industry strategies were compared to tobacco and food industry strategies and the findings shared with health professionals, community members and government representatives. Results: The alcohol, tobacco and food industries use similar tactics to lure youth to their products, e.g. identical packaging of non-alcoholic and alcoholic energy drinks; candy cigarettes; animal-shaped chicken nuggets, all used to ensure continued brand loyalty and easy transitions to adult products. Conclusions: Attracting the youth market is integral for the alcohol, tobacco and food industries; this demographic segment represents a significant portion of current revenues and ensures loyal future customers. It is critical to increase awareness among public health professionals, equip them with the tools necessary to prevent and reduce the associated harms, and consider the implications of industry collaboration.