Would an advertising ban reduce teen drinking?

The Learning Lunch podcast explores ideas, approaches and social innovations – creating opportunity for non-profit organisations’ teams to discover what others are learning and space to reflect on what these insights might mean for their own strategy and programme implementation.

There is no safe amount of alcohol consumption for teenagers. Early binge drinking has long-term consequences on brain development, health and wellbeing. It also stokes social problems as teens lose interest in school, engage in risky sexual behaviour and find themselves in dangerous situations.

Alcohol advertising contributes to this. Young people are influenced by marketing so much that researchers have found the more they’re exposed to advertising the more likely they are to drink. The alcohol industry also uses other ways to promote their products, like using influencers on social media which is popular with young people. This type of marketing could be restricted if lawmakers passed legislation banning alcohol advertising, except at the point of sale.

The social toll of heavy and binge drinking is felt everywhere, but it’s most acute in communities where violence, crime, unemployment and poverty are rife. NGOs in these communities experience first-hand the impact of teen drinking and have to respond to the problems it causes. At the same time, little is being done nationally to prevent these problems from happening.

In this podcast, we explore the impact of alcohol advertising on teenagers, and the impact of binge drinking on communities. We talk to Kashifa Ancer, Campaign Manager for Rethink Your Drink, an alcohol harms reduction campaign; and Aadielah Maker-Diedericks, Secretary General of the Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance (SAAPA).

Kashifa Ancer is the Campaign Manager for Rethink Your Drink, an alcohol harm reduction campaign in South Africa. Hosted by the DG Murray Trust, the campaign focuses on raising awareness about the impact of alcohol on communities and supporting policy change to reduce harm. With a background in drama and experience in non-profit communications and advocacy, Kashifa is interested in how clear, engaging messaging can shift perceptions and encourage healthier choices. She is also a certified birth doula who is passionate about supporting families and promoting well-being.

Aadielah Maker-Diedericks is the Secretary General of the Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance (SAAPA), a civil society platform spanning eight countries that champions evidence-informed alcohol harm reduction policies across the region. She holds a Master’s in Community Health from UNSW Sydney and has over 25 years of experience in civil society leadership, including work in sexual and reproductive health, HIV/AIDS, gender, and alcohol policy. Aadielah has coordinated large-scale edutainment campaigns like Soul City’s Phuza Wise and Soul Buddyz, and under her guidance, SAAPA has influenced national policies and advocated for stronger alcohol regulation across southern Africa.