www.alkoholpolitik.ch

The Supreme Court refused to hear a case brought by student newspapers in Virginia challenging a state ban on alcohol advertising in their pages, The Roanoke Times reported Nov. 30.
The Collegiate Times of Virginia Tech and The Cavalier Daily of the University of Virginia sued the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) in 2006, challenging state regulations that outlawed most alcohol advertising in newspapers serving college students under 21. They argued that the regulations violated their First Amendment rights, Student Press Law Center reported June 9, 2006. (Source: Join Together, 12/01/10)

The major drink driving initiative launched in Hanoi as part of Global Actions on Harmful Drinking (www.global-actions.org) will be
co-implemented by ICAP and the National Traffic Safety Committee (NTSC).
The International Center for Alcohol Policies (ICAP) and Vietnam’s National Traffic Safety Committee (NTSC) today launched a Joint Initiative on Drink Driving to be carried out in Vietnam through 2012 as part of Global Actions on Harmful Drinking
Global Actions on Harmful Drinking is the result of a collective commitment made by the chief executives of major international beverage alcohol producers to make a significant effort to address harmful drinking in the 2010-2012 time frame. Global Actions efforts in 18 low- and middle-income countries are currently addressing three critical areas: Drink Driving, Self-Regulation of Advertising and Marketing, and Noncommercial Alcohol. ICAP is the lead coordinating organization for this series of
initiatives. (Source: Alcohol Reports, 11/29/10) icap.org, 11.23.10 Comment: ICAP, the institute of Big Alcohol, gets in contact with governments of developing countries. It’s aim is not to reduce alcohol consumption but to avoid that governments introduce effective measures. At least governments are aware that there is an alcohol problem. Will there be a honest evaluation of results?

On Nov. 17, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) declared that the makers of drinks like Four Loko and Joose were not allowed to mix caffeine and alcohol. Many of the comments on various news sites said, more or less, that such a decision would „do nothing“ to stop binge drinking on college campuses.
They were right. While removing alcoholic energy drinks from the market may have been necessary, it doesn’t solve the larger problems.
The real issues, as Derrick Z. Jackson wrote in the Boston Globe Nov. 20, are underage and binge drinking. Far from taking either one seriously, he argued, we encourage them both. (Source: Join Together, 11/29/10)

New EUCAM trend report: alcohol portrayal in popular movies This trend report describes the size of alcohol portrayal in movies that have been most visited in cinemas in 27 European countries in 2009. Most of these movies are seen by numerous European adults as well as minors after release in Europe. The volume and content of alcohol portrayal in
these movies give a first indication of the importance of alcohol portrayal in movies as a marketing tool by the alcohol industry in Europe. (Source: EUCAM, 11/24/10)

The South African government is taking a fresh approach in dealing with the scourge of alcohol abuse, especially amongst pregnant women. It has challenged the liquor industry to re-evaluate the type of advertisements that portray drinking alcohol as prestigious and the myth that excessive drinking is acceptable.
„Alcohol abuse can never amount to acceptable behaviour regardless of the day on which it is consumed,“ Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini told the Foetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) Indaba, currently underway in Johannesburg.
Dlamini said the call was spurred by the recognition of the complexity of the problem, and that only collective action would yield any results in reducing the number of people dependent on alcohol.
The problem knows no age, race or gender, but it is particularly challenging amongst pregnant women. The legacy of alcohol abuse on the developing foetus is a lifetime of dealing with FAS, or Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). (Source: Alcohol Reports, 11/21/10) buanews.gov.za, 11/18/10

The International Center for Alcohol Policies (ICAP) and the Korea Alcohol & Liquor Industry Association (KALIA) are pleased to jointly announce the landmark signing of at today’s second KALIA-ICAP Seminar.
Developed in consultation with public health officials and non-governmental organizations, the code outlines alcohol producers’ formal commitment to responsible marketing through guidelines that provide new standards for the content and placement of beverage alcohol marketing communications, including online media. Among the code’s provisions are guidelines specifying that alcohol marketing and advertising should not target those under the legal drinking age, and should not portray situations suggesting that social, professional, or athletic success can be achieved as a result of drinking alcohol. (Source: ICAP press release 11/15/10) Comment: Let’s hope it has some effect. Normally those self-regulations only give the governments an alibi not to implement real preventive measures. (ICAP is the international Institue of the leading alcohol industries.)

The amount of alcohol commercials in Estonian TV channels has grown considerably over the past few years but still they form a small amount of all commercial, LETA/National Broadcasting cites a TNS Emor study. (Source: Alcohol Reports, 11/23/10) baltic-course.com, 11/23/10

On 22 November, top international researchers, EU policy makers and consumer advocates are gathering in Brussels for the conference „Behavioural Economics: So What? Should Policy Makers Care“. A major pilot study on consumer decision-making in retail investment serviceswill be presented and will feed into the debate.
The conference looks at possible concrete applications of behavioural consumer research in testing, optimising and streamlining consumer policies.
The key questions to be tackled include: *
– What behavioural economics call tell us about consumers that economic models or surveys cannot?
– Are there relevant examples where the behavioural approach has significantly improved the effectiveness of policy
measures
– Which key factors influence consumer decisions?
The Behavioural Economics conference can be followed live via web streaming from the conference site. The site also
includes the detailed programme of the conference sessions and the press programme.

Marin Institute has launched its third annual, countrywide, anti-alcohol-advertising contest at FreeTheBowl.com. This year’s theme – “Free the Bowl from Beer Ads” – seeks original, 30-60 seconds long, “performance art” counter-beer-ads from youth and young adults ages 10-20. Deadline for entry is January 24th, and the winners will receive cash prizes up to $1000! To learn more, watch the video.

This European Youth Organisation has started with a Newsflash, reporting on new developments in alcohol politics:
Newsflash of this week brings you updates on what’s the connection between alcohol and energy drinks. Besides that you can read about Active’s premier at Alcohol and Health Forum featuring Adrian Farner Rogne; you can take a short trip to the past and visit our seminar in Berlin held in the end of October 2010 and check out what’s going on in the field of Active’s press releases.