www.alkoholpolitik.ch » Alerts

Northern Ireland: Call For Minimum Price For Alcohol

htm — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 08:17:15 +0000

The Royal College of Psychiatrists in Northern Ireland has called on the Executive to take the advice of the Health and Social Development Ministers and follow Scotland’s lead in proposing a minimum price for alcohol of 45 pence a unit.
Both Health Minister Michael McGimpsey and Social Development Minister Alex Attwood have said in recent months that minimum pricing is needed to curb dangerous drinking habits that cost society up to £900 million a year. (Source: Medical News Today, 9/05/10)

Event: Working Towards a Holistic Alcohol Strategy in Europe

htm — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 10:10:16 +0000

ommunication, Education and Public Awareness
The Silken Hotel, Brussels, Thursday 30th September 2010; KEY SPEAKER: Mr. Michael Huebel, Head of Unit – Health Determinants, DG SANCO, European Commission
Event Details – Website – Register to Attend
EU citizens experience the highest rate of alcohol consumption in the world (11 litres of pure alcohol per adult each year), and on top of the already serious public health concerns over binge-drinking, statistics on alcohol-related violence make sobering reading.
This timely International Symposium will examine the latest initiatives at both EU and National level, discuss the range of alcohol-focused projects supported by the World Health Organisation and consider recommendations for future actions to reduce the harmful effects of alcohol misuse.

Rally in San Francisco to Support a Charge for Harm Alcohol Mitigation Fee

htm — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 16:16:23 +0000

Economic Analysis Shows Zero Job Impact While Raising Millions for City.
In an enthusiastic display of solidarity, 200 people rallied on the steps of San Francisco City Hall yesterday in support of a groundbreaking “Charge for Harm” alcohol-related fee ordinance. (Source: Marin Institute, 8/05/10

Lancet Comment Calls For More Research Into Alcohol Use, HIV

htm — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 15:52:47 +0000

According to a Lancet Comment, “alcohol remains conspicuously absent from the larger field of research and programming in HIV and substance use. … Patterns of hazardous alcohol consumption prevail in countries with the most severe HIV epidemics, notably eastern and southern Africa.” In addition, “hazardous drinking patterns also dominate in the concentrated epidemics of eastern Europe and Asia, where alcohol use by injecting drug users and other marginalised groups might be an additional barrier to effective efforts to prevent HIV infection.” The comment notes that both men and women are harmed by excessive alcohol use and calls for more research “focused on reducing alcohol-related sexual-risk behaviour, [which] might offer valuable lessons for the wider field of HIV and substance-use research” (Fritz et. al, 8/7). (Source: Medical News Today, 8/09/10) our Online-Comment: “Conspicuously” is the correct wording in this connection. Alcohol is
“tabu” regarding HIV, poverty, developing aid and sexual-risk behaviour. Public health authorities and politicians are afraid they would have to fight for less alcohol consumption.

Show Your Support for the SF Charge for Harm Fee

htm — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 12:31:59 +0000

San Francisco Day of Action, SF City Hall Rally. Join labor, youth, firefighters, treatment, prevention, and health-care providers on Wednesday, August 4 at 10:00 a.m. on the Polk Street steps of San Francisco City Hall for a press conference and rally in support of the City’s proposed Charge for Harm ordinance. This local precedent-setting measure seeks to recover an estimated $17.7 million in annual alcohol-related costs from a fee that would be assessed to alcohol wholesalers and others. (Source: Marin Institute, 7/29/10)

USA: New Dietary Recommendations planned

htm — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 09:45:56 +0000

Alert by Marin Institute: Don’t Let Big Alcohol Take Advantage of New Dietary Recommendations. New Guidelines on Alcohol consumption Threaten Public Health & Safety
TAKE ACTION:
Join Marin Institute in submitting your comments to the federal government on the Alcohol Section of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans DEADLINE FOR COMMENTS — THURSDAY, JULY 15, 2010
- We are especially concerned that despite the Report’s caveats, the industry will use the new recommendations to promote alcohol consumption and increased consumption.
- We ask that the Committee revise the Report and subsequent Guidelines to send a much more cautionary, evidence-based message regarding alcohol consumption to the public.
-We specifically ask that the new Guidelines maintain the formulation of 2/1 per-day consumption of alcohol for men and women, respectively.
To read the entire alcohol section of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans Report:
http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/Publications/DietaryGuidelines/2010/DGAC/Report/D-7-Alcohol.pdf
To read Marin Institute’s complete comments:
https://www.marininstitute.org/site/images/stories/pdfs/dietary_guidelines_letter.pdf

Come meet Peter Bratt and the movie stars of La Mission

htm — Fri, 14 May 2010 09:17:42 +0000

..as Marin Institute hosts a San Francisco benefit screening on June 24th at the Fort Mason Cowell Theater (6:00 – 9:00 pm). The movie was written and directed by Peter Bratt, starring Benjamin Bratt.
Buy Tickets Online LinkTickets $50
La Mission was filmed in San Francisco’s Mission District and portrays a proud man’s struggle to accept a changing society, living in a neighborhood battling to end its own cycle of violence and intolerance.
Marin Institute will honor brothers Peter and Benjamin Bratt with our first ever Barky Award for “Inspirational Media Leadership.” Senator Mark Leno will moderate a question and answer session with Peter and the stars after the film. We invite you to become a sponsor of this event or advertise in the program book.
La Mission features Benjamin Bratt as Che, a reformed inmate and recovering alcoholic. Marin Institute supports La Mission because the movie raises awareness of how alcohol and violence touches the lives of everyone. La Mission sends the right message. Help Marin Institute continue its fight against the Big Alcohol companies.
See complete La Mission event information at http://www.marininstitute.org/site/about-us/events.html

4th European Alcohol Policy Conference ‘From Capacity to Action’

htm — Wed, 12 May 2010 16:02:15 +0000

21 – 22 June 2010 in Brussels
The purpose of the conference is to promote and disseminate knowledge about current thinking on alcohol and alcohol policy matters; to build capacity and to promote networking and coalition building between and within the European countries. The main aim of the conference is to stimulate action in alcohol policy.
The conference is organized by Eurocare (European Alcohol Policy Alliance) under the patronage of Her Royal Highness Princess Astrid of Belgium and it is co-financed by the European Commission and co-sponsored by the WHO (World Health Organization).
The conference location, in the heart of the European Union, will provide a unique opportunity to involve a wider audience and engage in dialogue with policy makers at the European level. (Source: Eurocare, Programme)

USA: Support Assembly Bill 1694 and Charge for Harm!

htm — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 16:45:11 +0000

On Tuesday, April 6, 2010, the California Assembly Health Committee will vote one more time on AB 1694 (Beall, San Jose), a bill to collect a reasonable 5 cents per drink fee from Big Alcohol, to fund California’s Alcohol-Related Services Program.
Passage of AB 1694 will provide $700+ million annually to the State Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs. This new revenue will help ease the state’s deficit. The funds will also preserve existing treatment, prevention and recovery programs and create many new jobs in these areas to assure all California residents have access to critical alcohol-related harm mitigation services.
Californians need this because alcohol-related harm costs all of us $38.4 billion annually. Yet Big Alcohol pays virtually nothing to offset this harm.
Please let the new Chair of the Assembly Health Committee and five other key members know TODAY that they need to vote YES on AB 1694. It’s a vote that 85% percent of their constituents support.
Click the link below to log in and send your message:
http://action.marininstitute.org/link/target/mi/FffqB5RB.aspx

Mentor International Prevention Awards 2010:

htm — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 12:46:29 +0000

Request for Applications – Please spread the word!
Mentor is pleased to announce the Mentor International Prevention Awards 2010, to be presented by Her Majesty the Queen of Sweden on 14th October 2010 in Washington, DC.
The Awards celebrate promise and achievement in drug abuse prevention globally. Awards are open to all non-government organizations working in the field of drug abuse prevention.
Cash prizes totalling €50,000 will be awarded in three categories: Achievement, Innovation and Youth ‘Big Idea’; recognizing evaluated, promising and youth-led drug prevention initiatives.
Please apply now – closing date 31st May 2010 – click here to apply…