MPs yesterday passed a bill that could make Bermuda a leader in the fight against alcohol abuse.

The 1993 Alcohol Advertisement (Health Warning) Act will require alcohol ads published and printed locally to carry the warning "excessive alcohol consumption may be harmful to your health''.

And Health Minister the Hon. Quinton Edness said: "I think we will be the first country to do this.

"We know the impact alcohol has had on society, including the millions of dollars in health care cost so I think we as a Government should try to encourage people to become more cognisant of the ills of alcohol abuse''.

Noting that alcohol abuse is rampant in Bermuda and remains the drug of choice among young people, Mr. Edness said: "We would hope this warning will not only have a visual impact, but a psychological impact on this community and make people more conscious about alcohol consumption''.

However, the law will not apply to alcohol ads in magazines from abroad and alcohol names or logos found at sporting events.

Mr. Edness explained that the word "excessive'' was used because there is no scientific evidence to indicate drinking alcohol in moderation is harmful.

"In fact,'' he said, "there are advisories from health professionals that say for some (people) moderate use of alcohol can be beneficial to their health.'' But Shadow Health Minister Mr. Nelson Bascome said scientific evidence does not define everything.

"The science factor has not defined the increase in (alcohol) use among young people,'' he said. "The human factor defines that.

"Alcohol is a major contributor to just about all the delinquency we see in Bermuda, not only does it affect society and insurance premiums, alcohol affects every one in Bermuda, bar none.'' Mr. Bascome asked who will police some of the areas affected by the law, such as banners and other alcohol advertisements in stores.

Noting that alcohol distributors sponsor many sporting events and athletes and therefore alcohol products are commonly displayed at sporting events, he said: "The label carries as much weight as the product.

"When the average person sees the Heineken Cricketer of the Year or Benson and Hedges Champion of Champions Competition -- all these titles are carrying the subliminal message of alcohol use.'' Referring to Mr. Edness claim that it would be difficult for the law to apply to overseas ads, Mr. Bascome recalled that a local retailer ripped pornographic material from magazines brought into the Island.

"Let's go all the way,'' he said. "Let's make the alcohol producer and seller look at a more creative way of getting their product out of the mind of not only young people, but all those persons affected by alcohol.'' Opposition MP Miss Jennifer Smith said if Government wanted to send young people the "correct message'', it would have to come to grips with how to fund sporting events which heavily rely on alcohol advertisements.

"I recognise that the Minister's intentions are good,'' she said. "But young people don't look as much at what we say as what we do. And when they see the sponsors and billboards, they don't see what we intend.'' Miss Smith also questioned what will happen to alcohol ads published in Bermuda, but printed elsewhere.

National Liberal Party Leader Mr. Gilbert Darrell stressed that Bermuda and every sports club relied on sales from alcohol.

"Every workmen's club in this country would not be in business if it were not for the sale of alcohol,'' he said.

"Despite the damage it does, it is still a strong economic factor in our country.'' He also said merchants should be made to put a warning label on every bottle of alcohol "to discourage excessive consumption''.

Mr. Darrell said Government also needed to specify the size of warning labels in relation to the size of the advertisement.

Noting the impact of alcohol abuse on the community, Government backbencher Mr. Philip Smith said Mr. Edness had made a step in the right direction.

But, he said, he would also like the warning to say alcohol is a drug.

The younger generation know this because they are exposed to more education about alcohol, Mr. Smith said. "But the older generation who have been use to their one or two drinks a day, don't see it as a drug.'' He also suggested a total ban on alcohol advertisements, including on television and at sporting events.

"If you don't try to substitute that sort of income (for sporting events),'' he said, "you remain dependent on that source of income.'' Opposition MP Mr. Stanley Morton accused Mr. Edness of taking a soft approach to the issue of alcohol abuse to avoid offending alcohol merchants.

"All he is doing is dipping his toes into the shallow part of the water,'' he said. "All he is doing is playing playhouse.'' Mr. Morton suggested that local alcohol distributors and sellers should persuade those in the alcohol industry overseas to place the warnings on their ads.

"They are so intoxicated with the idea of selling alcohol that they are not sober enough to see the results of alcohol,'' he added.

Independent MP Mr. Stuart Hayward said while he welcomed the bill as a small step, "this step can be considered an elephant amount of labour to deliver a mouse''.

He noted that Government consultant Dr. David Archibald said alcohol consumption in Bermuda ranked among the highest in the world and one out of 11 adults in Bermuda is an alcoholic.

And Mr. Hayward said: "The range of problems from alcohol cover the entire spectrum of activity in Bermuda, so it is no small problem in Bermuda and deserves greater effort''.

However, he said, he would support the bill.

Mr. Hayward also suggested that the warning should read "alcohol is a drug.

Excessive consumption is harmful not only to the consumer, but to the unborn''.

Opposition MP Mr. Reginald Burrows said he also believed the bill was a "very small'' step in the right direction.

But, he said, he was also concerned about the availability of alcohol.

Government MP the Hon. Harry Soares praised Mr. Edness.

Noting that some people are more prone to substance abuse than others, Mr.

Soares said rather than calling for a ban on alcohol, MPs should be concentrating on prevention, education, and rehabilitation.

Mr. Soares added that he believed fewer people were drinking excessively due to the alco-analyser and because "it is not socially acceptable anymore''.

But Opposition MP Mr. Eugene Blakeney said drinking was viewed as a pastime in Bermuda as it is in other small countries.

"Many people don't understand the effect,'' he said. "There does not seem to be enough emphasis placed on the harm that alcohol can do.'' He said Social Services could produce advertisements, including television ads, showing the effects of alcohol on the body as it does with cigarette smoking.

And, Mr. Blakeney said, such warnings could also be posted in clubs.

"We will not be able to completely eradicate alcohol abuse,'' he said. "But we can give warnings to help people understand the harmful effects of alcohol.'' Government MP the Hon. John Stubbs predicted that before the year 2000, scientists will be able to determine those who are naturally addicted to substances because of their genetic make-up.

And he said while there are some people who benefit from a "modest'' consumption of alcohol every day, it was not advisable for those who have been addicted.

In a brief speech, Opposition MP Mr. Julian Hall said the debate came "as close as possible to being a monumental waste of time''.

"Of course it's a good idea to add to alcohol advertisements a warning about excessive consumption,'' he said, "but for this debate to be used by members as hypocritical cant is really regrettable, especially when we will end today as we normally end with an invitation to come engage in excessive alcohol consumption.'' But PLP whip Mr. Stanley Lowe called the bill an "important step''. And he stressed that Government had to continue to make people aware that the overindulgence of any substance can have harmful effects.

"We certainly commend the Minister for bringing this legislation to make people consciously aware that excessive consumption of alcohol is harmful to their health,'' he said.

"But I certainly will not be hypocritical and say let's have total abstinence.'' Shadow Youth and Sport Minister Mr. Dennis Lister called the bill a "band aid approach to alcohol problems that exist in this country''.

Just as there are restrictions on illicit drugs, he said there should be restrictions on alcohol.

"It (the bill) is not providing any limitations to availability of drugs,'' he said.

Noting that sporting programmes and clubs rely on alcohol sales, Mr. Lister asked where was the funding that Government promised for such programmes and clubs.

If funding was provided by Government, he added, such programmes and clubs would not have to rely on alcohol.

Mr. Edness said he was grateful for all the input because it showed that "members do have a continuing concern about alcohol in this society, particularly when it came to children''.

But he said he did not bring up other matters touched on by members because they will come forward at a later date.

Talks between Government and the manufacturers and importers of alcohol have take place, he added. And he said, as suggested by Mr. Bascome, sponsors of sporting events have made substantial contributions to programmes about moderation.

But, he said, "we live in a society where alcohol is a reality. There's no point suggesting that we are going to ban alcohol.

Mr. Edness admitted that the economy and clubs are dependent on alcohol sales.

However, he accepted Miss Smith's concern about advertisements published in Bermuda and printed elsewhere.

Mr. Edness agreed to change that clause of the Act to apply to any alcohol ads published "and/or'' printed in Bermuda.

Referring to Mr. Blakeney's call for Social Services to produce warnings about the effects of alcohol on the body, he said "this is a good suggestion and we ought to do it more, but it is done. There are Health Department advisories and radio presentations about the effect of alcohol on the body.'' Concerns about the size of alcohol warnings was discussed with the media and public health officials, Mr. Edness said.

"There was a cooperative feeling that they (the media) would accept this,'' he said. "Should we have a problem with the size of it, we could always take steps to correct this.'' However, Mr. Edness said, claiming that excessive alcohol consumption "is'' harmful to one's health would be difficult to do.

But he said he would explore the suggestion.

The House then went into committee, when Mr. Edness introduced two amendments to clarify the wording of the Act, which takes effect on October 1.

He noted similar requirements for alcohol health warnings would be brought in for radio and television.

Independent MP Mr. Hayward said he welcomed that news. "There is a whole range of advertising that deals with alcohol that is quite potent because it has visuals as well as sound,'' he said.

The first amendment covered concerns the Act would not cover publications that originate in Bermuda and are distributed on the Island, but printed abroad.

At the same time, the wording should not attempt to cover publications like Time and People that originate and are printed abroad, but are distributed in Bermuda.

"We realise that we cannot cover publications which originate from overseas,'' said Premier the Hon. Sir John Swan . "We do not want to place prohibitions that will restrict the normal flow of information to our community.'' After consultation with the Attorney General, the House agreed on wording MPs said would apply to all local publications, whether they were printed abroad or on the Island.

The second amendment clarified the meaning of an alcohol advertisement. Mr.

Edness also explained a clause that excludes companies from the alcohol warning if the company name is being used to sponsor an event, like the Benson and Hedges Tournament in the case of tobacco.

"Suppose that here Frith's Liquors sponsored a soccer tournament; the Frith's Liquors Cup,'' Mr. Edness said. The name would be permissible, and advertisements using that name would be allowed without the warning, despite the fact the name Frith's was closely associated with alcohol.

Mr. Hayward said it may be difficult, but Government should attempt to curb such indirect advertising in future, perhaps by charging a fee for such a sponsorship.

Mr. Bascome said the warning: "Excessive alcohol consumption may be harmful to your health'' was too weak, and the words "may be'' should be replaced with "is.'' "Let's drive it home...direct and to the point,'' he said.

Mr. Hayward said the warning was probably "technically incorrect.'' "Excessive alcohol consumption is harmful to your health,'' he said.

"There's just no two ways about it.'' Deputy Opposition Leader Mr. Walter Roberts said as long as the words "may be'' were being used, the word "excessive'' could be removed.

Mr. Edness said Government "went back and forth on this'' in drafting the law. In talks with Health officials and others, it was felt the word "excessive'' had to be used, because there was evidence that in some cases, moderate use of alcohol could be beneficial.

"What would be excessive for one person may not be excessive for another person,'' Mr. Edness said. "It's not a definitive thing.

"We decided to soften it and to start from this point,'' he said. "This is a new departure for us.'' For the future, "we are in fact considering whether such an advisory should also be placed on the product itself.'' The Act passed without objections.