www.alkoholpolitik.ch

Eastern European teenagers, particularly girls, are closing the drinking gap with their Western European and American counterparts, Reuters Health reported Oct. 4. According to a new study, the number of adolescents in Eastern Europe who reported getting drunk rose by 40 percent between 1998 and 2006. Although the increase was seen in both genders, the rate was higher among girls. (Source: Join Together, 10/12/10) with our online-comment: J.P. tells us the arguments of the alcohol industry. They won’t become better by reproducing them always again. Alcohol taxes on alcopops have dropped the sales in Switzerland by 75%. Binge drinking is still rising. The effect of advertising is clearly shown by recent research. You can hardly find any government in Western Europe which started new alcohol taxes or has risen existing ones. The pressure of the industry is just too strong.