Each year, 41,000 deaths¹ are attributed to alcohol. Even in small amounts, alcohol consumption increases the risk of cancer, hemorrhagic strokes, and heart rhythm disorders, making it a major public health concern. That is why Santé publique France, in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Prevention, is launching the campaign “Good health has nothing to do with alcohol,” which encourages people to question the link between alcohol and good health, to rethink their alcohol consumption, and, if necessary, to seek help through the Alcool Info Service support and counseling program.

When Good Health Has Nothing to Do with Alcohol

From January 9 to 31, 2023, Santé publique France is launching the new campaign “Good health has nothing to do with alcohol.” Its goals are to challenge the normalization of alcohol consumption by highlighting the absurdity of wishing someone “good health” or “cheers” while toasting with glasses of alcohol, to prevent and reduce the risks associated with it, and to offer support tools through the Alcool Info Service remote assistance program.

The multi-platform campaign consists of a 30-second film, broadcast on TV and in movie theaters, also available in condensed 10- and 20-second versions for social media and out-of-home advertising. A radio spot, based on the film, rounds out the campaign.

The film depicts a variety of contexts in which people toast with alcohol. It portrays a series of convivial moments in everyday life (graduation, a work party, dinner at a restaurant…), or related to New Year’s greetings, during which people toast while wishing each other “good health” or “cheers.”

While the first sequences take their time to unfold, the subsequent ones accelerate, punctuated by the clinking of glasses and the repetition of the word “cheers,” creating a sense of saturation. The spot ends with the campaign’s slogan, “Good health has nothing to do with alcohol,” and highlights the long-term risks associated with alcohol consumption, even in small amounts.

The goal is to highlight the paradox of the association between alcohol and good health and to leave a lasting impression.

All campaign materials (video, audio, digital) link to the website alcool-info-service.fr to encourage the public to learn more about their own drinking habits and find advice on how to reduce their alcohol consumption.

In addition, Santé publique France is mobilizing its many partners (non-profits, hospitals, businesses, local governments, etc.) to spread the campaign’s messages to consumers and their friends and family.

For several years now, the Agency has been pursuing an ambitious strategy to reduce alcohol-related risks, tailored to different target audiences. The new campaign, “Good health has nothing to do with alcohol,” launches just as Dry January—or the January Challenge, led by a coalition of organizations—has begun. This initiative, which involves abstaining from alcohol throughout the month of January, was evaluated by the Agency in 2020, which showed that it presented a valuable opportunity to manage one’s alcohol consumption.

This is therefore an opportunity to combine prevention messages and actions in pursuit of common goals: reflecting on one’s alcohol consumption and reducing the risks associated with it. The Agency reaffirms its commitment to protecting the public from the health harms of alcohol and encourages everyone to participate in this challenge.