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Agenda item
Shaping Healthier Behaviour
Minutes:
Prof Marcus Munafo (University of Bristol) introduced a paper on opportunities to improve public health by reducing tobacco and alcohol use by creating vaping spaces and increasing access to alcohol free options.
· Behaviour change achieved by creating environments that encourage healthier behaviour without limiting choice. It is about reducing friction to the positive behaviour. E.g. the closer a gym is, the more likely you are to go.
· Alcohol and tobacco abuse has significant health impacts, with a higher prevalence in disadvantaged areas. All drinkers drink more than the recommended amount, so could do with reducing intake slightly across the board. Binge drinking is a social harm.
· Approach to tobacco is to transfer established smokers onto vaping, which has been shown as an effective means of quitting. This can be encouraged by restricting tobacco areas to vaping e.g. outside shelters for vaping but not smoking. The Bristol University Campus is smoke free but not vaping free.
· Alcohol intake can be reduced by encouraging the availability of alcohol free beer in draft form. There are some very good low alcohol beers available now. However, there are blocks to access as it is served in small bottles and the onus is on the customer to ask for it. Draft does not have this problem as it is displayed prominently and the customer can order just by naming the drink. It is visually indistinguishable from alcoholic draft, so reduces peer pressure. It also increases the ability of the customer to manage their intake as they can choose to have a ‘rest’ non-alcoholic drink between alcoholic drinks.
· Some bars are already doing this, so it is financially viable. The University is looking to run a study on the effect on revenue.
· Organisations can mandate vaping spaces on their properties. Would have to check with licensing whether BCC can do this.
Discussion notes:
· Alcohol initiatives could be integrated into drug and alcohol strategy. It is important that measures are not just applied to the city centre due to higher incidence of alcohol dependency in deprived areas on the city outskirts.
· The smoking ban did not affect pub revenues to a great extent so non-alcoholic draft is unlikely to have a major impact, though members accept more data is needed.
· In many disadvantaged areas there are not many pubs left and the majority of drinking is done at home, so we should also think about home drinking. Increasing availability of healthier items means they will be picked up more often. E.g. not restricting non-alcoholic drinks to a dark corner. Quality of alcohol free beer has improved greatly over past decade. Cost is fairly even as non-alcoholic is tax free but made in smaller batches.
· The policy on non-alcoholic draft may need opt-outs for smaller pubs with few taps.
· Members were concerned about making smoke free spaces vaping spaces, but would support converting smoking areas to vaping.
· In the UK vaping is marketed as a product for existing smokers, rather than new ones. UK has promoted vaping as an alternative. There is a perception among young people that vaping is not cool, but smoking still is.
· Some member organisations have smoke free areas where enforcement is difficult and people smoke in those areas anyway. They are considering changing policy to allow vaping to see whether this lowers smoking levels. A study could be set up to evaluate impact. E.g. number of cigarette butts before and after policy change.
· Some members expressed concern about being perceived as promoting vaping.
· Members welcomed the press presence at the meeting and the role media can play in enabling conversations. It is not about prohibition, but increasing consumer choice, based on contemporaneous research
· [ACTION] OH to circulate Marcus’ contact details to HWB members.
Supporting documents: