The Drinkaware Trust, the charity set up to promote responsible drinking in the UK, is to target teenagers for the first time by launching a website.
The Truthaboutbooze.com was designed after consultation with teenagers and is, says trust CEO Jean Collingwood, the first blow in the fight against binge-drinking to be struck by teenagers themselves.
"Our research showed that young people believe the anti-drink message is being diluted by the official approach and patronising slogans," said Collingwood. "What they want is facts without being patronised and they want the message to be interactive and bite-sized."
The new website has been modelled on popular social networking sites such as Bebo and MySpace. It will feature blogs, forums discussing alcohol-related topics, case studies and educational videos.
The trust is planning to tell teenagers about the new site by extending its profile online and using other social networking sites to get the message across.
The organisation already runs the drinkaware.co.uk website, which attracts 125,000 visitors a month. Consumers are directed to the site via responsible drinking messages, which appeared on three billion drinks containers and on £150m worth of print, poster and TV ads in 2007.
"We are working alongside the industry to positively change the national drinking culture," said Collingwood.
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