How responsible are “responsible” drinking campaigns for preventing alcohol abuse?

Purpose The purpose of this article is to question the misplaced efforts to curb alcohol abuse through “responsible” drinking messages from the alcohol industry, asking how responsible this strategy really is. Design/methodology/approach This article cites published research that calls into question the effectiveness of “responsible” messages, particularly those that situate the problem of alcohol abuse within drunk driving and underage drinking without addressing heavy consumption. Examples of “responsible” messages are drawn from websites of three major beer companies. Findings Problems with “responsible” drinking are identified, including the fact that such messages place the problem within the user rather than the product. “Responsible” messages also give permission to drink heavily as long as underage and driving is not involved. “Responsible” drinking messages enable drinkers to shift responsibility to others, which gives carte blanche to binge drinking. Practical implications There is little doubt that “responsible” messages are effective public relations tools that enhance the image of beer companies, but serious doubts exist regarding their ability to prevent alcohol abuse. Originality/value Questioning the effectiveness of these messages puts pressure upon the industry to develop strategies that do a better job of addressing the realities of alcohol abuse.