www.alkoholpolitik.ch

Dear grown-ups, decision-makers in the European Parliament, in the national peoples’ representations, in the national governments and ministries, in the European Commission, We hope this letter finds you well.

We are not well. We are concerned because it looks like our future (is) broke.
In our organizations and for many of the young people and youth organizations we are cooperating with, the picture is clear: young Europeans are concerned, often even scared. We are extremely aware of the tremendous burden that is being put on each and every single young European, who will have to make huge efforts, work relentlessly to master the debt challenges collected and piled up by the grown-ups who have been making decisions in the past and do so today.
Millions of young Europeans – in youth organizations, schools, universities and the public places all over the continent – ask: how are we ever going to be able to pay back these paramount debts that exceed any form of imagination?

With this question came another realization: we, Europe’s youth, need the best possible conditions, tools and qualifications to be able to tackle the debt piled up by yesterday’s and today’s grown-ups. In that sense and in many other ways, it is wrong to cut and try and save money on education, youth facilities, culture. It is especially wrong when other measures go largely unnoticed. Therefore Active and (only) 30 of its members collected during 2 hours in Rome last weekend more than 130 postcards from people whom they met. 130 ideas what €125 Billion could be spent on – instead of paying for alcohol related harm every year. … (Source: Press Release activeeurope.org, 11/16/11)
Comment: This could be an essential part of the Occupy-movement.

Government-led policies on alcohol throughout the UK have been branded a joke by the chief executive of the charity the British Liver Trust.
Andrew Langford spoke as figures showed a 70% rise in liver cancer deaths in England and Wales since 1977.
The UK also has the highest rate of oesophageal cancer in Europe. … (Source: Alcohol Reports, 11/14/11) bbc.co.uk, 11/14/11 Comment: Alcohol policy is a joke in many countries, e.g. Switzerland.

A ban on the sale of alcohol below a minimum price will be introduced in England and Wales from 6 April 2012.

Shops and bars will not be able to sell drinks for less than the tax paid on them – a move the government says will cut crime.

It works out as 38p for a can of weak lager and £10.71 for a litre of vodka.

Health campaigners say the price „floor“ is too low to have any impact, but the drinks industry has described it as a „pragmatic solution“.

The move comes as the Scottish government presses ahead with plans to introduce a minimum price per unit of alcohol.

Its first attempt to do so, setting the price at 45p per unit, failed during the last Parliament, but MSPs have now reintroduced the bill and say the measure is needed as part of the „battle with alcohol misuse“. … (Source: bbc.co.uk, 11/08/11)

Prevention of Teen Substance Abuse Must Start with Tackling America’s Underage Drinking Epidemic. Let’s Make it Cool for Teens Not to Drink!

Joseph A. Califano, Jr.A recent survey of 7th through 11th graders in the Connecticut gold coast town of Westport, Connecticut, nails the importance of targeting alcohol use among teens for parents, teachers, pediatricians and public health professionals who seek to prevent teen substance abuse and addiction.

The survey by the Governor’s Prevention Initiative for Youth revealed that 25 percent of the town’s 9th graders, 37 percent of 10th graders, and 60 percent of 11th graders had been drinking alcohol in the previous 30 days. Translated from substance abuse statistical jargon to plain English, this means that these high school freshman, sophomores and juniors are current drinkers, likely drinking regularly. … (Source: CASA, Chairman’s Corner, 11/15/11)

our online-comment:
As long as politicians are not willing to reduce the harmful impact of the alcohol industry on society (TV-marketing is only one sector of many) in order to reduce alcohol consumption in general, youth will miss the good example and will hardly be convinced by educational prevention. Alcohol-lobbies are a sort of corruption. Not only in the Third World.

Alcohol is the world’s number one risk factor for ill-health and premature death amongst the 25-59 year old age group, a core of the working age population. Europe is the heaviest drinking region of the world. Consumption levels in some countries are around 2.5 times higher than the global average (WHO 2009). Alarmingly 43% among 15-16 year old European students reported heavy binge drinking during the past 30 days (ESPAD 2007) and alcohol is the single biggest cause of death among young men of age 16 to 24.
The World Economic Forum’s 2010 Global Risks Report identifies non-communicable diseases (NCDs) as the second most severe threat to the global economy in terms of likelihood and potential economic loss. NCDs are a global risk equal in cost to the current global financial crisis. NCDs account for 86% of deaths globally, cardio-vascular diseases alone cost the EU economy €192 billion a year; similarly diabetes type II affects nearly 10% of entire adult population and costs €166 billion annually. The World Economic Forum and Harvard School of Public Health estimate that NCDs will cause a €25 trillion global economic output loss over the period 2005-2030.
Alcohol abuse is one of the 4 risk factors for developing NCDS such as cancer (1 in 3 European will get cancer in the coming years) and cardiovascular disease. It is important to address alcohol in this context and give it the attention needed.
Addressing the issue of alcohol abuse through effective policies will offer measurable health system savings and enhance the growth and productivity agenda for Europe 2020.
By decreasing the level of alcohol consumption, as well as being physically active and having a healthy diet:
– 75% of deaths from cardiovascular disease could be avoided
– 30-40% of cancers could be avoided

Due to the size of the problem and the universal impact, alcohol abuse is too big for governments to solve
alone. It requires a comprehensive, coordinated response from policy and decisions makers at the
European and national levels as well as all stakeholders concerned.

With this in mind, we the signatories would like to call on the Ministers of Health in Europe to
acknowledge the need for a comprehensive alcohol policy framework. The Committee on National
Alcohol Policy and Action are meeting on 17th November and we urge you to put forward a
request to the European Commission for a future European Alcohol Strategy 2013 – 2020.
(Source: Eurocare; Link to the letter

Comment: For Swiss policy-makers too… But we know, they don’t care.

LOWER DRINK-driving limits come into effect from midnight, reducing the maximum blood-alcohol level to 20mg per 100ml of blood in some cases.
The changes, which bring Irish law into line with European levels, will see the current limit of 80mg drop to 50mg for most drivers.
Under the regime, professional drivers, learner drivers and those who are newly qualified will be subject to a lower 20mg limit, as will other categories such as those driving tractors or cars with trailers.
A penalty system is also being introduced to deal with offences detected under the limits. … (Source: Alcohol Reports, 11/02/11) irishtimes.com, 10/27/11

Messages of Hope for Young Europeans

On Wednesday, John Dalli, European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy, addressed the 9th plenary meeting
of the European Alcohol and Health Forum and in doing so conveyed several messages of hope for young Europeans and
their future.
“Today we express how gladly we welcome some of the key messages of Commissioner Mr. Dalli,” says Andrea Lavesson,
President of the European youth organization Active – sobriety, friendship and peace. “And the time for Mr. Dalli’s first
visit to the Alcohol and Health Forum has symbolic importance, too: as children and young people continue to suffer from
alcohol harm in many areas of their lives, the progress achieved under EU alcohol strategy to reduce alcohol harm will be
evaluated in 2012.”
Europe is the heaviest drinking region in the world. 9 Million Children and young people are exposed to growing up in families
with at least one alcohol addicted parent. 25% of young men between 15 and 29 years of age die too early. Under-age
alcohol use is more likely to kill young Europeans than all “illegal” drugs combined. Another aspect of this was mentioned
by Commissioner Dalli: “Despite our efforts, young people continue to drink at unacceptable high levels. Eight out of ten
people [aged 15 to 24] say they have easy access to alcohol.” Science shows that the earlier young people start using alcohol,
the higher will their consumption be later on in life – posing risks to individual health and to societal development.
More than 60% of all violent acts are connected to alcohol use. Every year the costs of direct social harm amount to €125
Billion.
The conclusion for Commissioner Dalli is clear: “We must invest in promoting good health, rather than spending on ill
health.”
“For us it was very important to hear these messages from the EU Commissioner for Health,” says Andrea, from Active –
sobriety, friendship and peace. “To prevent alcohol harm is the smarter way, economically sound and exactly what young
Europeans deserve and need. Europe is in a critical period and we need to make strong efforts on different policy areas,
including public health, so that the next generation of Europeans is more creative, more innovative, healthier and more
competitive.”
“Alcohol policy such as measures to ensure the legal age limits are upheld, youth is not target by industry marketing strategies,
prices are high to make it hard for youth to buy alcohol – which were all mentioned by Commissioner Dalli, is not only
about enhancing health,” explains Andrea, from Active. “It is an important tool to enhance the European society, make it
more inclusive, more fair and more attractive for young Europeans. It is a tool to increase freedom.”
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Sources: press release 10/20/11: http://www.activeeurope.org/attachedFiles/documents/press_release_19_Message_of_Hope_for_young_Europeans.pdf
Alcohol and youth fact sheet: http://www.activeeurope.org/attachedFiles/Active_factsheet_-_Alcohol__harm_and_young_Europeans.pdf
Dalli speech: http://ec.europa.eu/commission_2010-2014/dalli/docs/speech_alcohol_health_forum_19102011_en.pdf
Dalli news: http://ec.europa.eu/commission_2010-2014/dalli/docs/midex_19102011_alcohol_forum_en.pdf
Commission fact sheet: http://ec.europa.eu/health/archive/ph_determinants/life_style/alcohol/documents/alcohol_factsheet_en.pdf

In the Americas, alcohol consumption is linked to nearly 350,000 deaths annually.
Washington, D.C, 30 September 2011 (PAHO/WHO) – Top health officials from North, Central and South America and the Caribbean have endorsed a series of actions that the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) says could significantly reduce the public health impact of alcohol.
Ministers of health and their representatives at PAHO’s 51st Directing Council approved a new Plan of Action to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol that seeks to lower levels of per-capita alcohol consumption and reduce alcohol-related harm. It includes measures ranging from increased taxes on alcohol sales and restrictions on marketing to training for primary health care workers in screening and treatment for risky drinkers. (Source: Alcohol Reports, 09/30/11) PAHO/WHO, 09/30/11

WHO welcomes the adoption today by the UN General Assembly of the political declaration on the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and stroke, chronic respiratory disease and cancer which together kill some 36 million people each year. For the first time, global leaders have reached consensus in the General Assembly on concrete actions to tackle these diseases.
Governments agreed on the need for global targets to monitor these diseases and their risk factors like tobacco use, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity and the harmful use of alcohol. The UN General Assembly has asked WHO to develop a framework for monitoring global progress and to prepare, before the end of 2012, recommendations for a set of global targets to monitor trends and assess the progress in countries to reduce the toll of suffering, disability and premature death due to these diseases. (Source: Alcohol Reports, 09/19/11)

A group of medical organizations from around the world this week issued a statement calling on doctors to take the lead in demanding action to reduce alcohol misuse.

The statement, issued in The Lancet, said doctors, who are valued and trusted, are in a unique position to lead and inform this initiative. It comes in advance of next week’s United Nations Summit on Non-communicable Diseases, HealthDay reports.

Two billion people worldwide consume alcohol, and of these, 76.3 million have alcohol misuse problems, the statement notes, adding that alcohol use is the third leading risk factor for preventable and premature disease.

“It is every clinician’s responsibility to address alcohol harm, both on a daily basis with individual patients and in the wider context of health harms and inequalities at the population level,” the statement says. “We ask governments to act urgently and to champion evidence-based initiatives for the implementation of effective alcohol strategies at all levels to improve the health of populations worldwide.” … (Source: Join Together, 09/16/11) Comment: Where are our doctors?