What people have not recongised is that alcohol induced cirhossis rates are higher in European countires like France as their overall consumption levels are higher.

However there are certainly querstions to be raised regarding the cost effectiveness of such marketing campaigns, especially when there are an increasing number of uncoordinated messages appearing.

for those of you worrying about the 'nanny state' or 'tax revenue' motivations, the fact is alcohol consumption has been steadily rising in the UK and so too have the health and socio-economic impacts. The government is right to try and address this.

james, London,

How do these studies track with those other studies that show that French and Italians live longer and healthier lives than British, despite drinking far more wine?

William Seymour, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand

What a miserable country we live in, no doubt this is all grist to the taxation mill of New Labour. Last month it was 1 bacon sandwich, I wonder what it will be next month. The mind boggles as to this governments priorities (do they have shares in advertising companies) as I'm sure that £10M would be better spent on decent healthcare for those unfortunate enough to have Cancer or Alzheimer's now.

Graeme, warrington,

Let's gather together and say a big No to this nanying govt that wants to control every aspect of our lives. LEAVE US ALONE

Bob, Southport,

And as the consumer is "targeted" - again - what exactly is being done about the reason why women's drinking has risen like a tidal wave?
1980ish we had research showing that women then drank far less than men, largely because they drank at home. Female alcohol was mostly take home alcohol.

Suddenly alcohol appeared in all the supermarkets right among the veg & the bread. Instead of having to go in a special shop to buy it, now women were presented with booze to pop in the basket.

So easy. So instant, so normal. So LETHALLY easy and LETHALLY normal.

So when are we going to see a return to properly controlled alcohol sales?

Or is it just too comfortable to let women pop those bottles in the basket and pick up their money? (sales or tax)

Not forgetting of course that supermarkets are ruthlessly designed to undercut our ability to decide what WE want while in them. A campaign that relies on consumer choice has little chance. But it papers over the problem neatly.

Shan Morgain, Newport Wales, UK

Another health study showed 95% of the population are getting sick to death of unpublished and unproven health studies designed to raise more taxes.

Dave H, Sevenoaks,

"The £10m campaign ... is designed to leave women in no doubt about the potential effects of alcohol on their health."

But since the public is now inured to do-gooders wasting their money on emotive scare campaigns it will more than likely have no discernable impact whatever.

Alan Wilkinson, Russell, NZ

Actually being a normal weight teetotaller who sadly got breast cancer at the age of 36, I say to this man, who has no idea of the dramatically negative aspect of having breast cancer, that having breasts is a great thing and rather more fun and more beautiful than a glass of wine. Not only are the healthcare costs of treating people with breast cancer high but so are the costs of treating many alcohol related diseases. If higher taxes are to be used to pay for these and to act as a deterrent to binge drinkers eventhose who cause no immediate social harm, I say well done. I would give anything to have not had breast cancer, except my three children. The constant fear of recurrence, the negative body image, the 6 months of chemo and baldness, the constant health checks, inability to get life assurance, difficulties with travel insurance and so on. Stop drinking and start living!

Wallis Snow, Oxford, UK

Just one large glass of wine a night could increase my risk of breast cancer by 50 per cent eh? I'd better go back to the vodka then.

judy, Liverpool, England

Coupled with increased taxation on alcoholic beverages, this is another piece of social engineering from New Labour aimed at dampening our spirits. It is following the same principles as used by the anti-smoking activists 30 years ago. By 2030, we will be seeing the first alcohol-free public houses, and to buy a bottle of decent whisky will cost an average weekly wage. The age of the killjoy has arrived.

Dwight Vandryver, Scholar Green, Cheshire, UK

And the anti-alcohol propaganda campaign continues. According to the Cancer Research site rates for breast cancer in France and Italy are lower than in the UK, yet both those countries have far higher wine consumption. Speaking as a person who has cared for people with alcohol-induced illness and injury I can definately say none of my patients were mddle class drinkers whose alcohol consumption could be measured in less than a dozen glasses of wine a week.
I think the people who come up with these studies need to get some perspective and stop trying to draw comparisons between the light/moderate drinker. It is young women who consume a combination of wine beer and spirits on an almost daily basis that are to blame for the increase in the rates of the diseases mentioned above, not the women who enjoy a glass of wine with the evening meal.

Alex, York, UK