www.alkoholpolitik.ch

For the first time in more than four decades, a Maryland legislative committee has approved an alcohol tax increase.
The Senate Budget and Taxation Committee today advanced a plan to bump tax on alcohol from 6 to 9 percent over the next three years. Alcohol taxes would go up by one percentage point per year.
Budget Chairman Edward Kasemeyer noted the historic nature of the committee’s move, saying most Marylanders „probably wonder why it has taken so long.“
If it wins general Assembly approval, the tax increase is expected to pump about $30 million into state coffers next year and $85 million once it is fully implemented. The House of Delegates has yet to vet the plan. (Source: Google Alcohol News, 03/25/11) weblogs.baltimoresun.com, 03/24/11

Exposure to alcohol in the womb doesn’t affect all fetuses equally. Why does one woman who drinks alcohol during pregnancy give birth to a child with physical, behavioral or learning problems — known as fetal alcohol spectrum disorder — while another woman who also drinks has a child without these problems? (Source: Google Alcohol News, 03/24/11) machineslikeus.com, 03/24/11 Medical News Today, 03/24/11

Next week, Sarah Wollaston MP will put forward a private member’s bill urging the government to adopt a new approach to protect UK children from alcohol advertising.
In an editorial published on bmj.com today, Professor Gerard Hastings and Dr Nick Sheron set out why we urgently need to tackle the excessive drinking of our young people and their massive exposure to alcohol advertising.
The bill will call on the government to adapt French legislation that allows alcohol advertising in media aimed at adults but not children, and ensures that promotional messages are factual and verifiable. (Source: Medical News Today, 03/24/11)

Whether you prefer your wine red or white, your spirits on the rocks or your beer frosty cold, chances are your bartender is pouring a drink infused with politics.
Many of the most recognizable brands lining store shelves are made by companies that contribute heavily to federal-level politics, according to a Center for Responsive Politics analysis of campaign finance data. And many are ensuring the cup of only one party overfloweth. (Source: Google Alcohol News, 03/23/11) opensecrets.org, 03/23/11 our Online-Comment: It is hard to believe that lawmakers may establish laws to the benefit of the public if they are paid like this by the alcohol industry. At least these figures are available. But who takes care?

Some Say New Tax Less Painful Than Dime-A-Drink Tax
ANNAPOLIS, Md. — A Senate committee has heard a bill that would phase in a special new tax on beer, wine and liquor over a three-year period.
The alcohol tax proposal is considered a compromise to the dime-a-drink proposal. Supporters said because it would be phased in, they think that it will be a less painful approach.
Until now, efforts to increase Maryland’s alcohol tax to pay for health care programs have focused on raising the excise tax at the wholesale level. But advocates of the dime-a-drink campaign said they view the compromise as a victory even though the revenue generated will not directly go to specific health care programs. (Source: Google Alcohol News, 03/23/11) wbaltv.com, 03/23/11

The 2011 budget today confirmed that the alcohol duty escalator will continue with alcohol taxed at 2% above the rate of inflation. The Treasury stated this would add four pence to the price of a pint of beer, 15 pence to the price of a bottle of wine, and 54 pence to the price of a bottle of spirits. … (Source: Alcohol Policy UK, 03/23/11)

A report published today by NHS Health Scotland, reveals that over the past 15 years annual alcohol sales in Scotland have increased by 11% – equivalent to over one litre of pure alcohol per adult per year. This was driven by a 53% increase in the amount of alcohol being sold through off-sales at a time when prices increased more slowly in off-sales (supermarkets and other licensed shops) (Source: Alcohol Reports, 03/23/11)

Research topics:
* Research on the Impact of Alcohol Marketing
* Research on Effectiveness Policies to Regulate Alcohol Marketing
* Research on Alcohol Marketing and the Alcohol Industry
* Research on the Impact of Counter-Advertising
(Source: Alcohol Reports, 03/23/11)

Requiring parity for substance abuse disorders in health insurance plans results in identifying more people who need alcohol and drug treatment and lowers plan participants‘ out-of-pocket costs — but has almost no effect on patients‘ use of treatment or the quality of care, according to a March 18 press release in Psychiatric News. (Source: Join Together, 03/22/11)

Following the continued proliferation of alcohol advertising in social and traditional media outlets, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently announced plans to conduct another review of the effectiveness of the alcohol industry’s self-regulation of its own advertising campaigns. As noted in the Marin Institute’s 2008 report „Why Big Alcohol Can’t Police Itself: A Review of Self-Regulation in the Distilled Spirits Industry,“ the industry’s voluntary guidelines fail to protect underage youth from exposure to alcohol advertising. The FTC is currently seeking public comment until April 26, 2011 on the companies‘ compliance with ad placement provisions; status of third-party review of complaints; and industry data-collection practices. We encourage everyone concerned about the effects of alcohol advertising to submit comments here. Marin Institute will make our own comments available, so check back. (Source: Marin Institute Newsletter, 03/23/11)