www.alkoholpolitik.ch

Draft Programme datet 11/05/10
Some headlines: WHO-Resolution, FASD-actions, The RAYPRO web resource, The (mystery) buyer, EU Alcohol Strategy implementation

The map from Strange Maps, shows Europe’s three ‘alcohol belts.’ The northernmost belt is for distilled spirits, the middle belt is for beer, and the southernmost belt is for wine. (Source: Google Alcohol News, 11/15/10)

Eurocare (European Alcohol Policy Alliance) has issued today an open letter of support for the Thai government for its plans to introduce alcohol health warnings labels on packages of alcoholic beverages.
In January this year Thailand has notified the WTO (Committee on Technical Barrier to Trade) about plans to introduce rotating pictorial warnings on alcoholic beverages contained in different types of containers. The proposal includes:
* picture printed in 4 colours and 6 types of which one of them is required to be rotated at 1,000 package intervals.
* 6 types of health warning messages
* they should cover at least 30% of package
* prohibition of suggesting on labels that alcohol can improve better health
In the open letter Eurocare expressed its support for the initiative of placing health warning labels on alcoholic beverages and congratulated the Thai government for its courage and willingness to take this step to tackle alcohol related harm.
The significance of the economic costs of ill health has been acknowledged not only by public health community but also economic agencies such as the World Economic Forum in its publication “Global Risks 2010”. Chronic diseases were placed as one of the top most severe risks facing the world. They scored very high on likelihood and severity indicators . Alcohol is the 3rd main contributory factor globally to chronic diseases (it ranks 2nd in middle income countries and 1st in high income countries) . … (Source: Eurocare, 10/28/10)

Data is provided by the WHO Global Information System on Alcohol and Health (GISAH). The indicator on total alcohol consumption is defined as the recorded amount of alcohol consumed per adult (15+ years) over a calendar year in a country, in litres of pure alcohol. The indicator only takes into account the consumption which is recorded from production, import, export, and sales data often via taxation. Population data is based on midyear resident population (15+ years) of the UN World Population Prospects, medium variant. In order to convert into litres of pure alcohol, the alcohol content of beer, wine, and spirits is considered to be 5%, 12% and 40% respectively. Specific conversion factors are used for other, less common types of alcoholic beverages. (Source: EUROPEAN COMMISSION HEALTH AND CONSUMERS DIRECTORATE-GENERAL10/29/10)

Today, in reaction to calls from their Thai partners and friends, young Europeans send an urgent call to the European Commission, the Member States of the EU and the broader public: alcohol is no ordinary commodity!
Andrea Lavesson, president of Active – sobriety, friendship and peace, explains the background: “We have received calls for support from our Thai friends in protecting the health and social safety of young people in Thailand, where right now the European Commission is conducting negotiations with the Thai government about mutual Free Trade Agreement. The problem is, and that bothers many young people in Thailand, that the European Commission puts pressure on the Thais to include alcohol into the Free Trade Agreement even though the Thai government is against it for the simple reason – to protect public health.”

In fact, the negotiations have been put on halt for the Thai government to consult with civil society and assess the health and social impacts if alcohol be included as trade commodity in the Free Trade Agreement (FTA). While civil society protests against an inclusion, the business sector of importers, hotels, tourism enterprises, restaurants and alcohol industry mount heavy campaigns to get alcohol from Europe into the country.

Alcohol costs the Europeans 125 Billion tax payers € per year, an amount that is more than four times higher than what alcohol production, retail and consumption contribute to the economy. A disproportionate amount of the medical, psychological and social costs has to be shouldered by young Europeans under 25. Despite these facts and the apparent economical imbalance, the European Commission labels alcohol as an important agro-food export commodity.

“This alarms both Thai and European youth – and together we say: alcohol is not like oat. It’s surely no ordinary commodity,” says Andrea Lavesson, “even the WHO global alcohol strategy reflects that truth by stating that Public health should be given proper deference in relation to competing interests. We demand that the European Commission protects the integrity of that document that all EU Member States have ratified this year.”

“In Europe we make the experience every day that the alcohol industry makes its way to the decision makers”, tells Andrea Lavesson, “therefore it is important to understand that the alcohol industry’s business methods in developing countries are – and I’m not exaggerating – highly immoral. Alcohol industry violates their own codes of conduct wherever possible and target young people. Beer girls are, among other methods, used to promote alcohol drinks and increase sales.”
Andrea Lavesson sends a clear message to the European Commission and Member States: “Such an industry should not be invited to the table of diplomatic negotiations! If not the European Commission, who is to safe guard the interests of young people and to be a role model in public health protection?”

Kind regards and we, wish you a great day!
press release. For immediate release 28th October 2010

Thailand has been planning on implementation of health warning messages on alcoholic beverages, and has notified World Trade Organisation about this proposal, since it is requested to do so as health warning labels might be perceived as an obstacle in trade. Eurocare is sending an Open Letter of Support for the Thailand’s initiative: …“Eurocare would like to take this opportunity to express our enthusiasm for this initiative and congratulate the Thai government for its willingness to take this bold step forward in the fight to tackle alcohol related harm. We send you our support for your ongoing negotiations in the meeting with the World Trade Organisation (Technical Barriers to Trade Committee, scheduled for 3-4 November 2010). …
Through the media, we have noted that influence is being exercised on you to withdraw the legislative proposal requiring the alcohol producers to place health warning labels. We are disappointed by the lack of support for your initiatives aiming at protecting the health of the Thai population from the European Union. There
should be no need to request more evidence to proof the effectiveness of health warning labels. …

Alcohol: 3rd Open Forum on Alcohol and Health; Announcement and draft agenda
Alcohol: RAYPRO: Resource on Alcohol and Youth Projects

The STAP conference on Alcohol and Health took place on the 23rd of September. It was an inspiring and informative day! Please find the speakers‘ presentations at www.stap.nl/nl/nieuws/presentaties.html

The original manuscript of the Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) Big Book is being published for the first time, along with edits that changed its references to religion, the Washington Post reported Sept. 22.
The first AA manual, called: „Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered from Alcoholism,“ was published in 1939, the Associated Press (AP) reported Sept. 28. (Source: Join Together, 10/1/10)

moving towards a shared governance for health and well-being – Taking account of health – means more – effective government – More effective government – means improved health
The Adelaide Statement on Health in All Policies is to engage leaders and policy-makers at all levels of
government—local, regional, national and international. It emphasizes that government objectives are best
achieved when all sectors include health and well-being as a key component of policy development. This is
because the causes of health and well-being lie outside the health sector and are socially and economically
formed. Although many sectors already contribute to better health, significant gaps still exist. Health in All Policies, International Meeting, Adelaide 13-15 April 2010