COMMENTARY Dealing Responsibly with the Alcohol Industry in London

Abstract — The 2012 UK Government’s Alcohol Strategy for England and Wales has been welcomed broadly and resulted only in muted criticism within the UK public health community. This is despite strong continuities with previous alcohol industry construc-tions of the nature of the problem and preferred policy responses. This is probably because the strategy shows progress on the public health lobby’s key issue of pricing of alcohol beverages. There are, however, many problems with the wider content of the strategy, showing little interest in much needed industry regulation other than on price, and an absence of commitment to investment in research. Some dilemmas posed for the research community are discussed. The UK Government Alcohol Strategy for England and Wales (Secretary of State for the Home Department, 2012) has broadly been welcomed as a step in the right direction that needs to go further. The Lancet (2012) suggested that the ‘government should be commended for taking strong, effective steps to reduce alcohol consumption that will save lives’. Alcohol Research U.K. (2012) ‘broadly supports the approach adopted’. Witnesses giving evidence to the first session of the parliamen-tary health select committee in April gave similar praise (BMJ