AAC in no way 'backs SAB' - Citizen article irresponsible

The headline on the attached copy of Friday's article (11 September, 2009) paints a contradictory and misleading picture of the Addiction Action Campaign and, indeed, the substance of the report itself. The report states very clearly that we support SAB Miller's stance against underage drinking, driving while drunk (as Nkola Motata was convicted of doing) and foetal alcohol syndrome.

However, we remain unambiguously opposed to alcohol advertising and demand of companies such as SAB that they substantially - and we mean manifoldly - raise their spending on harm reduction to correct the huge imbalances wrought through alcohol advertising, especially where the young and vulnerable sectros of the population are concerned. With wide-ranging domestic and international support, the AAC has embarked on a multilateral campaign to ban all alcohol advertising in the same way as has been achieved with tobacco advertising. This tenet is not negotiable as far as the AAC is concerned. It is misleading to create the impression, as, we submit, the headline does, that we "back" SAB.

AAC Chairperson, Warren Whitfield requested of The Citizen that any incorrect perceptions regarding our stance and objectives be set to right at the earliest opportunity. He also asked that greater oversight and more stringent quality control be exercised over sub-editors, especially where the writing of headlines is concerned.