"It is sometimes cheaper to drink alcohol than non-alcoholic drinks", warns a sociologist

Christophe Moreau, Breton sociologist and director of the Jeudevi research and development team (intelligent youth development), is the author, with Marie Choquet, of "Young people facing alcohol" (Edition Eres, 25 euros). It analyzes the study published this Tuesday by Santé Publique France on the alcohol consumption of French people according to the regions.

Nearly a quarter of French people exceed the recommendations of "a maximum of two drinks per day and not every day". Does that surprise you?

CHRISTOPHE MOREAU. No, they are poorly known and people currently give them very little importance. This is also due to the double discourse which creates duplicity. On the one hand, hygienic rules are enacted and on the other we have an economic culture that widely promotes consumption. This is done at the expense of public health. We preach in the desert.

What should we do?

The challenge is to develop responsible drinking skills. It is possible for the vast majority of French people. But when you say that, you are attracting lightning and alcohol vendors and anti-alcohol lobbies. However, I believe that this is what we must aim for. For this, it is necessary to promote simple actions such as alternating glass of alcohol and glass of water. But also develop access to non-alcoholic drinks at a reasonable price. Today, it is sometimes cheaper to drink alcohol than non-alcohol!

How do you explain regional disparities? Daily consumption is much lower in Ile-de-France than in Occitanie, for example ...

Urban areas have traditionally been less consuming than rural ones. The mix of cultures and people is more important, there are fewer opportunities to meet and the prices are very high. For a long time, there was a demarcation: alcohol in the countryside, psychoactive products in the city. This has become less true.

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You are a researcher in Brittany. Why is the prevalence of significant alcohol consumption (6 drinks on one occasion) higher here than elsewhere?

Breton consumption patterns are close to Anglo-Saxons, with alcoholizations not necessarily regular but significant in number of drinks. We are in village, initiation areas, sometimes with kids who start drinking in the 3rd class. There are 240 annual festivals, many cafes, a production of beer, brandy, cider. There is a tradition and a culture but it should not be forgotten that alcohol marketing also plays on this culture!