www.alkoholpolitik.ch

Lunch Seminar, Hosted by MEPs Anna Hedh (S&D) and Marian Harkin (ALDE), European Parliament (Brussels)- A3E-2Tuesday 21 June 2011 12h00 – 14h30
Alcohol is one of the most heavily marketed products on our shelves.
Young people are an important target audience for the alcohol industry and they are exposed to unprecedented levels of sophisticated marketing, from mass media advertising to sponsorship of events, product placement, internet, merchandise, social networks etc.
Alcohol marketing has a powerful impact on young people’s drinking behavior and undercut the efforts by public health authorities to reduce harmful drinking among youth.
The speakers will analyze the scientific evidence on the cumulative impact of alcohol marketing and will present the results of two recent European projects on how to better regulate the content and volume of marketing in order to protect young people.
Please click here to register (People who DO NOT have a pass to the European Parliament need to register before 14 June 2011).
If you need any further information please contact Eurocare’s office at ruth.ruiz(at)eurocare.org or 02 736 39 76.

Confronting family poverty needs evidence-based alcohol policies.
In his message on the International Day of Families 2011 the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon says: “On this International Day of Families, let us resolve to support families as they nurture the young, care for the old and foster strong communities”.
The UN has a long history of efforts to protect families, especially women and children. This year’s theme is very important as it allows development organizations and governments to direct the spotlight on a hidden but key issue – the impact of alcohol abuse on families. Effective action here will radically improve the conditions and future prospects of children, women and families in general. … (Source: IOGT International, 5/16/11)

The European Week Against Cancer is back!
Between 25 and 31 May each year organizations in Europe will join forces to identify ways to prevent cancer. Under the leadership of the Association of European Cancer Leagues (ECL) and the European Partnership Action Against Cancer, the European Week Against Cancer (EWAC) will give new impetus to cancer prevention and healthy lifestyles in Europe by promoting the European Code Against Cancer. “We’re really glad that the EWAC is back,” says Andrea Lavesson, president of Active – sobriety, friendship and peace, a European youth organization. “And we support the leadership of ECL in its efforts to prevent cancers because we know that around 40% of all cancer cases could be prevented, if screening policies and prevention methods were improved and if Europeans would lead healthier lifestyles.”
Every year more than 3 million Europeans are diagnosed with cancer, making cancer the most common cause of death in Europe after heart disease. Over the years evidence has been accumulated by scientists from all over the world clearly showing that the use of alcohol increases the risk of cancer. The greater the amount of alcohol consumed, the greater the risk of cancers of the mouth, larynx, breast, liver and colorectum. Thus the European Code Against Cancer 1 states that ‘If you drink alcohol, whether beer, wine or spirits, moderate your consumption to two drinks per day if you are a man or one drink per day if you are a woman’. However ”even these levels incur a certain amount of risk, it is important that the general public, policy makers and alcohol producers are aware of the risks and do everything they can to minimize them,” says Emma Woodford from European Cancer Leagues. … (Source: Press Release activeeurope.org, 5/25/11)

Every so often at Marin Institute, we get a complaint from someone about an alcohol advertisement they’ve seen in their community they think shouldn’t be there. Most of the time, they’re right. In our role as industry watchdog, I’ve taken on the responsibility to report such complaints to the industry directly to get the ads removed as soon as possible.
However, we have made a deliberate decision to not use the industry’s official complaint process, because as we demonstrated with our report in 2008, it’s a failure and a charade. … (Source: Marin Institute, 5/17/11)

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has proposed new regulations for nationwide menu labeling for restaurants. That’s a good thing. However, as currently proposed, alcoholic beverages are exempted. That is not a good thing.
Over-consumption of calories and poor nutrition is a serious public health problem. Alcoholic beverages are a significant source of calories in the American diet. Currently, drinkers have no way of knowing how many calories are in what they’re consuming.
With such information prominently displayed for all menu items, consumers can make better choices that can improve their health rather than harm it.
Please join Marin Institute and other concerned organizations and individuals in telling the FDA to require that restaurants inform customers of the caloric content of alcoholic beverages.
For more information and to read Marin Institute’s talking points: http://www.marininstitute.org/site/blog/38-blog-entries/629-tell-fda.html

MOSCOW — The World Health Organization focused for decades on infectious diseases, but now it’s putting non-communicable diseases near the top of its agenda.
The fight against heart disease, diabetes, stroke, lung cancer and chronic respiratory disease may not seem as heroic as the struggle against smallpox or H1N1, but chronic illnesses account for 63 percent of deaths worldwide — 70 percent in the United States and 90 percent in Russia.
“And these are preventable,” said Margaret Chan, director general of WHO, at a three-day series of meetings here this week devoted to chronic diseases. “People don’t have to suffer. People don’t have to die.”
No tobacco and less sugar, fat and especially salt are WHO’s top targets; reducing alcohol consumption and increasing exercise are right behind. Those factors alone account for 25 million of the 36 million deaths attributable to chronic diseases annually, according to WHO, and place a huge economic burden on families and nations. (Source: Harvard World Health News, 5/5/11) washingtonpost.com, 4/29/11

SAN FRANCISCO, CA (APRIL 21, 2011) – Alcohol industry watchdog Marin Institute applauded 17 state attorneys general and San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera for their quick action to stop the latest supersized alcopop – Blast by Colt 45.
„State law-enforcers heard the national outcry,“ said Bruce Lee Livingston, executive director of Marin Institute. “Supersized alcopop Blast is too big, too potent and marketed to youth.”
The sickly sweet, 12% alcohol fruity-flavored beverage is sold in 23.5 oz. cans, which the attorneys general deemed “impossible to drink responsibly.” Marin Institute had mounted a petition campaign before the product’s official release on April 5, targeting the Metropoulos family – new owners of Colt 45 parent Pabst Brewing Company. Activists drew public attention to the dangerous brew and its exploitative viral marketing to young fans of hip-hop/rap star Snoop Dogg, the spokesperson and public face of the new product.
Minister Paul Scott, of Durham, NC-based Messianic Afrikan Ministry said, “We must stop these corporations from using the beautiful art of Hip Hop to destroy young minds. Music should instead be used to strengthen them.” … (Source: Marin Institute, 4/25/11)

Prom and graduation should be a time of pure joy for high school seniors and the people who love them. But every year, this season can also be a time of sadness for too many families. That’s because along with these important milestones come many opportunities for underage drinking and driving.
Each year, communities across the country mourn the deaths of teenagers involved in a car crash that resulted from underage drinking at a prom or graduation party. A survey of more than 2,500 high school juniors and seniors conducted in 2010 found that 90 percent believed their peers are more likely to drink and drive on prom night and 79 percent believe the same is true of graduation night. However, only 29 percent of teens say that driving on prom night is very dangerous; 25 percent believe the same is true for graduation night. … (Source: Join Together, 5/3/11)

Attorneys general from 24 states have asked the U.S. Federal Trade Commission to do more to shield teenagers from alcohol advertising. A letter, written by Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff and signed by colleagues from 23 other states, proposes a three-step plan to regulate teens’ exposure to alcohol ads, the Deseret News reports. (Source: Join Together, 04/29/11)

There is growing pressure for the government to tighten up New Zealand’s alcohol laws following a report into the death of a teenager from binge drinking.
Sixteen-year-old James Webster died from acute alcohol poisoning after attending a party in Auckland’s Grey Lynn in May last year.
Coroner Gordon Matenga recommended in the report that parents and schools develop alcohol awareness programmes to improve education around the issue.
However principals and health promotion experts have said this morning that it will take more than education to tackle the problem. … (Source: Alcohol Reports, 04/25/11) tvnz.co.nz, 04/21/11 Comment: This is what has to be said to most governments in the western world.