The festive season is now on. Christmas is very much a time to get together with family and friends and moderate amounts of alcohol by adults can be an enjoyable part of these celebrations.

People tend to associate parties with drinking more alcohol than originally intended. Running on TV, online and on bus shelters, The Sense Group’s message is based on straightforward common sense: “enjoy it in moderation, but just don’t drink and drive”. TSG’s revamped website www.drinkawaremalta.com reflects this message for this party season.

For the past 15 years, TSG has steadily launched messages and innovative campaigns, specifically targeting partygoers to help them have a really great Christmas and New Year’s festivities, and be able to enjoy the memories of the good times for many months to come.

The message “just don’t drink and drive” urges people to plan ahead if they intend to party and drink. One could recommend friends and relatives to take it in turns for one of them not to drink alcohol and drive the rest of the group safely back home.

“The positive effects of The Sense Group’s campaigns against drinking and driving, underage drinking, and binge drinking, conducted with the support of the Maltese beverage industry, could be seen from year to year. An increasing number of drivers prefer not to drive but hire a minibus or a taxi to ferry them before and after an event.  The majority of adults are fully aware of the devastating consequences that can result when a person drives under the influence of alcohol. Within seconds, a good night out can turn into a nightmare and a lifetime of regret,” said Ray Grech, Director General of The Sense Group.

Besides, it is easier to hire a minibus or a taxi rather than driving one’s own car, trying to find parking, refraining from taking a drink during this period, and then driving back home again in the congested traffic.

“The appeals for alcohol moderation are heeded by most consumers, but efforts are still needed for a long time to come to ensure that generations totally adhere to this culture,” said Mr Grech

Since 1997, The Sense Group has continued to promote responsible and moderate drinking message among the adult Maltese population, all year round.

This year’s Christmas campaign is a follow up to an earlier campaign launched last September with messages ‘don’t over do it’ which ran on social media targeting young binge drinkers, playing on the shame and embarrasement of seeing pictures of themselves drunk on social media.

www.drinkawaremalta.com also features a new quiz, a ‘Test yourself’ facility, aimed at young people to see how much – or how little – they know about how excessive alcohol consumption can affect the brain.