Responsible drinking messages cannot be limited to simply "don't drink and drive" as a new culture of alcohol consumption is presenting diverse problems according to one of Canada's foremost social responsibility advocates.

As a national meeting of provincial social responsible drinking heads wrapped up yesterday in Fredericton, plans for a countrywide campaign to fight excessive drinking have been tabled with a goal for broadcast in 2009.

"It's not enough just to talk about drinking and driving," said Hubert Sacy, conference chair and Canada's only member of the board of directors of the International Council on Alcohol and Addictions. "Moderate drinking means you should not drink too much whether you're driving or not driving.

"The fact that you're not driving is not a licence to get toasted."

Sacy, who supervises all prevention, information, education and communication campaigns for a responsible alcohol organization in Quebec was amongst representatives from each of the country's 13 liquor boards who make up the social responsibility committee of the Canadian Association of Liquor Jurisdictions.

He said a new culture has been created where a large number of people may be choosing to be responsible in appointing designated drivers to avoid drinking and driving, but then see it okay to drink in extreme excess after taking that precaution.

Sacy added a growing population believes because it's Saturday and they don't have work obligations on a Sunday, it's okay to forget about moderation.

"But it's not fine because health problems are not linked to whether you drive or not," said Sacy. "Your liver has to work as hard if you drive or if you don't.

"If you just limit your messages to just 'don't drink and drive' it could be interpreted in two ways, "if you choose to drink, do not drive" but on the other hand it means if you don't drive, you can drink all you want, get toasted, and it doesn't matter."

Sacy said issues of responsible drinking, drinking and driving and training servers not to serve alcohol to minors and intoxicated patrons will always be at the forefront of a continued social responsibility agenda, but that the national committee sees immediate need to expand beyond those messages.

An initiative seriously discussed over the three day meetings was the development of a new national campaign pushing moderate drinking as socially acceptable and enjoyable.

To deliver this message Sacy said there are plans to turn focus toward creating a culture of taste while chastising drinking to reach intoxication.

"The majority of Canadians don't do that, it is not popular and it ruins the party," he said. "We have to make people move as far as possible from a culture of intoxication towards a culture of taste and the key to this is called moderation."

The committee came away with recommendations which could see a nationwide campaign visible within a year.

"We are trying to work out this week a national campaign that is going to be the same in all liquor boards across the country to tell people the majority of Canadians drink in moderation," said Sacy.

The chair of the meeting, hosted by Alcool NB Liquor, said the program is essential because while youth may feel there is no consequence to excess drinking now, problems due to alcohol abuse will surface in the future.