london • The British government is launching a campaign to fight heavy alcohol consumption among young people with shock commercials and ads showing them paying the price for acting like invulnerable superheroes. Lasting through November, the ads will begin appearing on Monday in cinema, television, radio, magazines and online.

The campaign titled “know your limits” aims mainly to encourage 18-to-24 year olds to drink responsibly and be aware of the risks of drinking to excess, but also targets those slightly younger who may already be drinking illegally. One television commercial shows a young man who turns into the character batman and scales a building to catch balloons that escaped from a group full of pretty women. It ends with him crashing to the ground as a mere mortal. “Alcohol makes you feel invincible when you are most vulnerable,” the commercial says.

The new campaign illustrates various scenarios where young people, thinking they are “superheroes” while drunk, take risks with their health and safety. In addition to the man following from the high scaffolding, there are others with people paying the consequences for walking home alone, running into a busy road, and getting into fights, the health department said.

According to the Department of Health, some 70 per cent of peak time accident and emergency admissions are alcohol related. In addition, around half of all violent crime is alcohol related.

“We are not trying to demonise alcohol or stop people enjoying themselves. This is about encouraging young people to still have a good time but to know their limits, and to take responsibility for how much they drink,” Public Health Minister Caroline Flint said.