Senator Patrick Brazeau is advocating for new restrictions on the advertising and labeling of alcohol products. Having publicly battled substance abuse, Brazeau believes that alcoholic beverages should face similar restrictions to those applied to tobacco and marijuana. He plans to introduce a bill in the Senate aimed at prohibiting the promotion of alcohol.
Details of the bill are still being finalized, and Brazeau has not yet provided further specifics.
Beer Canada, however, has noted on its website that current evidence does not support a direct causal relationship between alcohol advertising and overall drinking levels or harmful drinking patterns. According to Beer Canada, while advertising may shift consumption between brands, it does not increase overall alcohol consumption.
This proposal comes as Brazeau continues to advance Bill S-254 through Parliament. The bill seeks to mandate warning labels on packaging for beer, wine, and liquor.