www.alkoholpolitik.ch

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

Items: News from Eurocare; News from Eurocare members; News from the EU; News from the WHO; News from the Member States; Alcohol Industry News; New research; Upcoming Events; Past Events; Questions from MEPs to the Commission on Alcohol. Eurocare Newsletter

Invitation for the workshop on alcohol marketing on 22 June 11.00- 13.00
Items: “How to pave the way for effective regulation of alcohol marketing in Europe”
– What theory tells us about effective alcohol marketing regulations
– Keeping up appearances (Comparing evidence based evaluations with monitoring exercises of the industry)
– The Loi Evin in theory and practice
– Talking about an alcohol marketing ban….why not? (Elaborating about juridical obstacles for an alcohol marketing ban in Europe.) (Source: FASE (Focus on Alcohol Safe Environment)

Over 520,000 people in the United Kingdom arrive at work with a hangover each day, according to a study carried out by Drinkaware, a UK charity claiming to provide consumers with information to make informed decisions about the effects of alcohol on their lives and lifestyles.
The study, released today, shows that the average Brit goes to work suffering the after effects of excessive alcohol three times monthly. Of those who admit to being hung over, 17% confess to struggling to keep on top of their workload and to making mistakes. 7% of people with a hangover say they had to leave work early because they did not feel well enough to carry on.
With the World Cup football (soccer) tournament starting next month, Drinkaware believes these figures will spike in June and July, having a direct impact on productivity throughout the country. (Source: Medical News Today, 5/26/10)

In Oslo 22 – 26 August 2010. In August 2010, researchers and experts on drugs, alcohol and medicines will take part in the T2010 conference, the tri-annual meeting of the International Council on Alcohol, Drugs and Traffic Safety (ICADTS). This year’s meeting is being hosted by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. (Source: Medical News Today, 5/21/10)

The alcohol-related death of a young attendee at a viral public-drinking party has left France to confront its growing problem with binge drinking. A 21-year-old attending a „giant aperitif“ party in Nantes fell off a bridge after consuming 10 to 15 drinks; he later died. The party and resulting tragedy have focused public attention on drinking behavior that strays outside the classic Gallic norm of a glass of wine over dinner.
Up to 10,000 people showed up in Nantes to drink heavily and publicly in a party organized via Facebook. Similar events also have been held in the cities of Montpellier, Brest, and Rennes. „We cannot just let this go,“ said Nantes mayor Jean-Marc Ayrault. „They are putting people’s lives in danger. It’s dreadful. I think this phenomenon has to stop. There’s nothing celebratory about it; it’s rather squalid.“
Radio commentator Eric Zemmour said that the giant aperitifs represented „mass adaptations of English-style binge drinking.“ Another of the parties is scheduled for May 23 under the shadow of the Eiffel Tower; a crowd of 50,000 is expected. (Source: Join Together, 5/20/10)

WHO seeks bans on alcohol discounts in anti-abuse. The World Health Organisation on Thursday said it made a „breakthrough“ against alcohol abuse. – The World Health Organisation is calling for discounts on drinks to be banned and for advertising targeting young people to be scrapped as part of a strategy to cut alcohol abuse approved on Thursday.
The strategy drawn up by the UN health agency and approved by its 193-member states at an annual meeting of health ministers also pushes for an end to flat rates for unlimited drinking and for sponsorship to be regulated.
With some 320,000 young people aged 15 to 29 years dying from alcohol-related causes in 2004, the strategy took aim at the marketing of beverages which contributes to getting young people hooked.
„The transmission of alcohol marketing messages across national borders and jurisdictions on channels such as satellite television and the Internet, and sponsorship of sports and cultural events is emerging as a serious concern in some countries,“ it said. (Source: Harvard World Health News, 5/20/10) news.yahoo.com, 5/20/10 our Online-Comment: I am very glad about this WHO-Resolution on an alcohol-strategy. I hope that all countries which have signed it will introduce now effictive measures to follow the advice of this resolution. And I congratulate and thank all those scientists and public health professionals who have done such an extreemly good job. This milestone in public health history should be the beginning of a more worthy life for millions of people now and in the future.

On 19 September 2010, the WTO invites you to take a look behind the scenes. This is a unique opportunity to enter the world of international trade, understand the role of the organization, and meet its staff and its members. (Source: http://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news10_e/open_day10_e.htm)

With International Convention In San Antonio. Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) celebrates 75 years of „one alcoholic talking to another“ as over 40,000 AA members from around the world gather in San Antonio for the 2010 International Convention, July 1-4. (Source: Medical News Today, 5/17/10)

Yesterday the United Nations General Assembly decided to convene a high-level UN meeting in September 2011 on the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases. Heads of State and Government will be attending.
Thursday 13 May the UN General Assembly concluded its consideration of the agenda item 114, Follow-up to the outcome of the Millennium Summit. It passed the draft resolution A/64/L.52 introduced by the representative of Trinidad and Tobago (on behalf of the Caribbean Community). The resolution “Prevention and control of non-communicable diseases” was according to NGO reports from the meeting co-sponsored by some one hundred countries.
The resolution draws up the background by pointing to various international health documents related to non-communicable diseases. It is also recognizing “the enormous human suffering caused by non-communicable diseases” and that these diseases are leading to increasing inequalities between countries and populations, thereby threatening the achievement of the internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals,”
Of interest to the alcohol field is the mentioning with appreciation in the text of the various
World Health Assembly resolutions and decisions. This is including the evidence-based strategies and interventions to reduce the public health problems caused by the harmful use of alcohol. The UN resolution also points to alcohol abuse as one of the prominent risk factors for non-communicable diseases. Download the resolution in six languages from this page: http://doc.un.org/DocBox/docbox.nsf/GetAll?OpenAgent&DS=A/64/L.52 Journal for Friday 14 May for a recapture of the General Assembly session (page 17-18).: http://www.un.org/en/documents/journal.shtml