Alcohol Advertising Ban Urged by British Medical Association to Cut Youth Drinking

All alcohol advertising, including sport and music sponsorship, should be banned to discourage young people from taking advantage of cheap drinks promotions, the British Medical Association said today.

The organisation called for a radical rethink of public health policy, including introducing prohibitions at pubs and bars on deals such as happy hour, two-for-one purchases and "ladies' nights" when women drink for free.

Minimum prices for a unit of alcohol and higher rates of taxation should also be introduced, said the BMA, which represents most doctors.

Its report, Under the Influence, describes Britain as a society "awash with pro-alcohol messaging, marketing and behaviour".

The impact of £800m of advertising a year in the UK has been to "exaggerate pro-alcohol norms", said Prof Gerard Hastings, one of the authors. Young people no longer asked themselves: "Shall I have a drink or not?", but "am I going to get smashed or totally out of my brain?", he added.

Dr Vivienne Nathanson, the head of the BMA's science and ethics division, said alcohol was now the country's favourite drug. "The government must get away from this cosy relationship with the industry. It's leading to an expansion of marketing which is targeting young people."

Higher prices, she said, would make it particularly difficult for young people to drink so much.

"One of the most invidious things is designer drinks," she added, "things like toffee vodka – so that the sweetness overcomes the sharpness and [youngsters'] dislike of alcohol."

Household expenditure on alcohol grew by 81% between 1992 and 2006, said the BMA. "Given that the alcohol industry spends £800m a year in promoting alcohol in the UK," said Hastings, "it is no surprise that children and young people see it everywhere – on TV, in magazines, on billboards, as part of music festivals or sport sponsorship deals, on internet pop-ups and on social networking sites."

Rather than imposing antisocial behaviour orders on teenagers, they should be "slapped on those responsible for marketing alcohol", he added.

The government's chief medical officer, Sir Liam Donaldson, this year called for a 50p minimum price for a unit of alcohol. The proposal was dismissed by the government, although the Scottish government is considering a similar scheme.

The BMA warned that alcohol consumption has been linked to 60 different medical conditions and premature deaths. "Binge drinking is particularly harmful ... and significantly increases the risk of alcohol dependence," it said.

The Wine and Spirit Trade Association condemned the report, saying the measures it recommended would "threaten the livelihoods of thousands of people working in the media, advertising, television, not to mention the drinks industry".