The days of the prohibitionist approach to alcohol consumprion may well at last be behind us, as even the most strident opponents to the sale of alcohol appear to have at last accepted that, whether they like it or not, the vast majority of Canadians enjoy a drink. What people have come to realise is that progress can be made in limiting the incidence of alcohol misuse by targeting programmes to those who most need help in minimising the harm they might cause themselves or others.

Most informed groups from around the world endorse this new approach as offering significant improvemnets over the previously popular theory that if you reduced overall consumption of alcohol in society, harmful drinking would be lessened as well. That, quite frankly, didn't pass the common sense test since a cut in consumption by social drinkers would have no impact on the small minority who are at risk. A case in point is the current debate over what changes might be needed in drinking and driving legislation in Canada.

Such discussions usually focus on broad base measures that affect everyone but, new research suggests, would have little impact on the real problem. Studies carried out by the Traffic Injury Research Foundation (TIRF), an Ottowa based organisation with an international reputation, shows that of every 100 impaired drivers who die in traffic accidents, 75 have blood alcohol levels more than double the legal limit of 0.08. According to TIRF, in order to reach double the legal limit, a 176 pound man would have to drink more than seven drinks an hour.These hard core drinking drivers are usually repeat offenders, often continue to drive with a suspended license and remain immune to societal pressures to reform. We have made great strides as a society in reducing the incidence of drinking and driving to the point where the rates of charges for impaired driving have declined by more than 40% over the past decade.

Where once people would gather around the water cooler and joke about drink driving, such behaviour today would not be acceptable. If we want to make further gains, the focus should be on the real cause of the problem-the hard core- and not on new regulations that will affect all, but have little, if any, impact.

The Brewers Association of Canada supports recommendations made by TIRF to crack down on repeat offenders. These measures include immediate license suspensions, immediate seizure of vehicles of those driving while under suspension or prohibition, and the installation of ignition interlock breath testing devices on the vehicles of repeat offenders.

We are also continuing our broad range of programmes that promote responsible consumption of alcohol, including radio and TV advertising as well as partnerships and initiatives that are targeted directly at those who are most at risk and who need to hear a message that will be meaningful to them.

The alcohol and hospitality industries have a role to play in promoting responsible consumption and our wilingness to participate with government and with other professional groups in delivering those messages has reduced the need for government to regulate in these areas.

The changing attitude in favour of a harm minimization approach in addressing the problems of alcohol misuse may well be, in part, a response to the approaches the alcohol and hospitality industries have taken in promoting the responsible consumption of alcoholic beverages.