National Alcohol-Action week ‘Sees drinking, does drinking’ in the Netherlands Raising awareness of harm to children from adult drinking.

The Dutch Alcohol Policy Alliance (AAN) will be running its “Sees Drinking, Does Drinking” campaign from the first week in November.

The campaign, which was developed with the support of the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, is aimed at parents.

The goal is to raise awareness that alcohol consumption by adults in the presence of children and young people could have negative consequences.

Throughout the country health centers (GGD’s), addiction care institutions and municipalities are joining the campaign during Alcohol Action Week.

Children are more likely to drink from "seeing them drink" Research* shows that the more often children see parents drinking, the younger they want tostart drinking themselves. Children are familiar with the effects of alcohol from the age of 4.

Previously unpublished research from ‘MarketResponse’ surveying more than 1,500 adults *shows that many parents are conflicted on drinking in front of children. Two thirds (65%) think that adults should be more aware of the example they set for young people, yet only a third(32%) avoid or moderate their drinking when children under 18 are present. In a recent survey of 400 parents who drink in front of their children by the Alcohol Alliance, 63% indicated that they were willing to stop or to reduce this after receiving information on the potential harm to children.

Alcohol Action-week ‘Sees drinking, does drinking’: national and regional activities

To promote the 'Sees drink, does drinking' message, there will be videos on social media, flyers,posters and other materials. All campaign materials can be found on the websitewww.ziendrinkendoetdrinken.nl.

The participating organisations will work to reach as manyparents as possible while respecting the restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Alcohol Policy Alliance of The Netherlands (AAN) AAN wants to promote not drinking alcohol as a respected choice, especially when children andyoung people are present. AAN also advocates that the Netherlands follows best practice in alcohol policy as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).
The high impact strategies in the WHO’s SAFER initiative are:
Strengthening restrictions on alcohol availability such as fewer points of sale.
Advance action on drink driving.
Facilitate access to screening, brief interventions and treatment.
Enforce comprehensive restrictions on alcohol marketing.
Raise prices through taxation and other pricing policies such as minimum unit price.

Contact:
Secretariat Alcohol Policy Alliance The NetherlandsP.O. Box 9769, 3506 GT Utrecht info@alcoholalliantie.nl
Sources:*Factsheet ‘Sees drinking, does drinking ?’; 2020; Trimbos-Instituut. Utrecht (in Dutch).*Smit, K; The developmental pathway to alcohol use: From exposure to consideration to action;de Radboud University Nijmegen; September 2020.*Research Sees Drinking. Does Drinking. Doet drinken. MarketResponse, 22 oktober 2020 (inDutch).*AAN (Alcohol Policy Alliance The Netherlands). Research ‘Parents & alcohol. Utrecht,28 Oktober 2020 (in Dutch).