ISLANDERS need to understand the negative impact of drinking alcohol, according to a director of the World Health Organisation.

Professor Mark Bellis, a director of the WHO collaborating centre on violence prevention, gave a talk to more than 70 health professionals, police and representatives of other agencies yesterday.

The issues he discussed included the relationship between alcohol and health conditions, alcohol consumption in childhood and the damages of drinking.

‘People often don’t know some cancers are alcohol related,’ he said.

These included 7% of breast cancers.

Prof. Bellis (pictured) said some of the problems associated with alcohol were frightening and people needed a balanced picture.

‘A lot of it is positive advertising, but you don’t see problems like domestic violence – one third is alcohol-related. People don’t see the negative impact.

‘If people are going to make the right choice about alcohol, then they need to see both sides,’ he warned.

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