www.alkoholpolitik.ch

Finland takes effective measures against alcohol related deaths. The leading cause of death in Finland
is excessive drinking. Therefore, Finland’s parliament unanimously agreed to raise the taxes on alcohol by up to 10% – beer and wine is set to rise by three percent and spirits by seven percent. This is the second time this year the Finish government is increasing alcohol taxation. After it had been raised by 10% in January, the government announced in March this year that they want to rise again, because of health concerns. The rise this year will be effective from October 2009. Finland is, along with Sweden and Ireland, one of the countries that have the highest taxes on alcohol in Europe. (Source: Active newsletter July 09)

Add to Technorati Favorites
Add to Mr.Wong

With less than two weeks left in Oregon’s 2009 legislature session, Rep. Ben Cannon (D-Portland) and Sen. Floyd Prozanski (D-Eugene) are proposing an updated version of the beer tax they introduced earlier this year, the Bend Bulletin reported June 18. (Source: Join Together, 6/18/09)

Add to Technorati Favorites
Add to Mr.Wong

The Estonian Institute of Economic Research published its annual report on alcohol consumption in May. According to their research, Estonians drank 11,9 litres of pure alcohol per capita in 2008. In 2007 – 12,6. That was the first decrease since 2001. This 5,3% decrease can be credited to some important alcohol policy changes that were introduced in 2008. During 2008, alcohol taxes were raised by 30% (20% in January 2008 and an additional 10% in July 2008). From August 2008, alcohol retail sale was banned during night time from 22:00. From 1 November 2008 alcohol advertising on TV was only permitted after 21:00 (previously alcohol ads were aired from 20:00). (Source: Eurocare Newsletter April/May 09)

Add to Technorati Favorites
Add to Mr.Wong

Researchers from the Curtin University of Technology in Australia have uncovered some of the secret workings and concerns of the international alcohol industry.
The information was uncovered by Curtin’s WA Tobacco Document Searching Program. This Program looks at confidential tobacco industry documents that have been accessible since the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) which required that millions of previously internal tobacco industry documents were to be made publicly available. “We realised that some international tobacco companies have owned alcohol companies, so we could obtain information on this industry as well,” said Mike Daube, Curtin’s Professor of Health Policy. These once confidential internal documents provide new evidence on the drinks industry’s concerns about possible alcohol control measures as well as the arguments and strategies they use to prevent any action that might impact on their sales. Top 10 alcohol industry concerns: …(Source: Eurocare Newsletter April/May 09)

Add to Technorati Favorites
Add to Mr.Wong

Alcohol Concern’s new report: The Price is Right: protecting communities through action on alcohol sales.
This new report investigates the relationship between the price of alcohol, consumption levels and alcohol-related harms and calls for a mandatory code of practice to be introduced to regulate the retail drinks industry. (Source: Eurocare Newsletter April/May 09) copy of the report

Add to Technorati Favorites
Add to Mr.Wong

Senate lawmakers are looking at raising the federal tax on beer and soft drinks as part of a funding package for national healthcare reform, which could cost the nation up to $1.5 trillion over 10 years. (Source: Join Together, 5/26/09) (with our comment)

Add to Technorati Favorites

Marin Institute has released the country’s first online alcohol tax and fee calculator to assist lawmakers looking for new revenue. The user-friendly tool is available at http://www.MarinInstitute.org/ .
The powerful program works for every state, as well as nationally and the District of Columbia. You just enter the amount of new tax (nickel or dime a drink, for example) for beer, wine or spirits (or any combination). Then the program instantly estimates additional annual revenues, based on a variety of factors specific to that particular jurisdiction.

Add to Technorati Favorites

The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence-New Jersey (NCADD-NJ) launched a new advocacy and media campaign, which includes a proposal for a five-cent excise tax increase on beer to raise $7.5 million for addiction treatment. (Source: Join Together, 5/19/05)

Add to Technorati Favorites

Wisconsin’s beer tax hasn’t increased in 40 years, but a new legislative proposal would raise the tax from 0.6 cents per bottle to 3 cents. Only Missouri and Wyoming have lower beer taxes than Wisconsin. The bill would use the estimated $58 million in new tax revenues to reduce alcohol-related crime, pay for addiction treatment, and fund prevention programs. (Source: Join Together, 5/4/09)

It’s not often that teenagers, parents, prevention specialists, liquor retailers, and law-enforcement officials come together over the issue of underage drinking, but more than 2,000 community volunteers in Illinois recently rallied around a campaign to discourage adults from buying alcohol for kids. (Source: Join Together, 5/1/09) (with some good comments)

Add to Technorati Favorites