www.alkoholpolitik.ch

Last month the Nebraska Supreme Court ruled that flavored malt beverages, also known as alcopops, are distilled spirits and should be classified and taxed as such, instead of the beer tax rate the state has been using. The ruling meant 12 times more alcopops tax revenue for the budget-beleaguered state, and less access to alcopops for youth, whom producers target with these products.

A ruling like that should have policymakers celebrating, wouldn’t you think? After all, their responsibility is to serve the health and welfare of the public they represent, along with keeping a balanced budget for the state. Or is it? Just one month after the ruling, state legislators effectively overturned the Nebraska Supreme Court’s decision with LB 824. Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman approved the legislation April 6. The new law keeps the status quo intact: taxing alcopops at the beer rate and keeping the products available wherever beer is sold. …

It’s no surprise to see certain legislators going out of their way to please the powerful alcohol industry lobby at the expense of the communities they are supposed to represent. However, we don’t often see a legislature deliberately override the state supreme court in order to make alcohol companies happy. Welcome to the Doghouse, Nebraska Legislature and Governor Heineman.
(Source: Alcohol Justice, 04/17/12)

Policy makers must not rely on self-regulation, but rather follow up through more statutory measures to protect the consumers.

Last week, major producers from the alcohol industry together with the World Federation of Advertising presented The Responsible Marketing Pact which scales up self-regulation[1]..

As a response, Civil Society Organisations with diverse backgrounds are now reminding policy makers at European and Member State level about the need for better regulation and co-regulation, and urge the European Commission and Member States officials not to jump on easy solutions in a new EU Alcohol Strategy 2013-2020.

“It cannot be left to the producers of a harmful product to decide how, when and where it will be marketed. Policy makers must not rely on self-regulation, but rather follow up through more statutory measures to protect the consumers. The content of this pact is basically the old ineffective measures of self-regulation in a new package. What we are witnessing are two powerful industries formally coming together to fight regulation- this is alarming”, says Mariann Skar, Secretary General of the European Alcohol Policy Alliance. …
Source: Eurocare.org, 04/25/12)
also: press release Active, 04/25/12)

Russia’s love for booze took another hit this week, as the government moved to ban the sale of strong alcoholic beverages on passenger trains. A new regulation that took effect last month outlawed the sale of strong alcoholic beverages at catering facilities located in public transport and commuter trains, as well as on trains plying long distance routes. Experts say the measure, which is being touted by transportation officials as part of a radical overhaul of rail travel, would deny Russians the right to drink vodka while traveling, a favorite pastime for many since the Soviet times. …
(Source: Alcohol Reports, News 16/2012) Russia Profile, 04/12/2012

The publication „Policy paper providing guidance to policy makers for developing coherent policies for licit and illicit drugs“ is online available at Groupe Pompidou (in the frame of the Council of Europe) Download (Englisch). (Source: infoset.ch, 13.04.12)

Following the recent release of the Government Alcohol Strategy, here’s a selection of some of the comments and reaction.

Statements and responses

Alcohol Concern have released a short briefing responding directly to some of the specifics in the strategy, and also a press release which called for more public health spend on alcohol. It argues that alcohol remains the „Cinderella issue in competition with drugs, obesity, mental health and other issues“ and more than the current average 0.1% of PCT’s budgets must be invested in alcohol treatment and prevention. …
(Source: Alcohol Policy UK, 04/04/12)

This new report uses information gathered in 2011 to update key indicators on alcohol consumption, health outcomes and action to reduce harm across the European Union (EU). It gives an overview of the latest research on effective alcohol policies, and includes data from the EU, Norway and Switzerland on alcohol consumption, harm and policy approaches. The data were collected from a 2011 survey, carried out as part of a project of the European Commission and the WHO Regional Office for Europe. The report updates the evidence base for some important areas of alcohol policy, and provides policy-makers and other stakeholders in reducing the harm done to health and society by excessive drinking with useful information to guide future action.

Alcohol is one of the world’s top three priority areas in public health. Even though only half the global population drinks alcohol, it is the world’s third leading cause of ill health and premature death, after low birth weight and unsafe sex. In Europe, alcohol is the third leading risk factor for disease and death after tobacco and high blood pressure.
(Source: Alcohol Reports, 03/28/12)

A billion units of alcohol will be shed by the alcohol industry through an ambitious plan to help customers drink within guidelines, Health Secretary Andrew Lansley announced today.

The initiative, which is part of the Responsibility Deal, is being spearheaded by 34 leading companies behind brands like Echo Falls, First Cape and Heineken and will see a greater choice of lower strength alcohol products and smaller measures by 2015.

Market intelligence suggests consumers are increasingly looking for lower strength wines. In the past year, demand for lower and non-alcoholic beer has soared by 40 per cent across all retailers.

Key commitments include new and lighter products, innovating through existing brands and removing products from sale.

(Source: Alcohol Reports, 03/23/12)
Comment: Very interesting. The industry accepts that its products are responsible for hospital admissions and deaths. It admits to be able to lead the consumer to drink less dangerous products. Marketing works. Now we can wait again if the industry fulfills its promise.

Tell State Legislators to Vote NO on LB 824!

In early March, the Nebraska Supreme Court confirmed that flavored malt beverages, AKA „alcopops,“ are distilled spirits according to Nebraska law. That wise ruling allows the state to tax alcopops at the $3.75 per gallon spirits rate, which is 12 times higher than the beer tax of 31 cents per gallon.

Increasing the price of alcohol reduces the amount of access young people have to these products, and is one of the most effective policies to reduce alcohol-related harm.

Unfortunately, Nebraska senators immediately went on the defensive and advanced a bill (LB 824) to negate the court’s decision. LB 824 would re-define beer to include alcopops, keep them cheap and widely accessible to youth.

It’s time to tell the senators to place the health and safety of our youth ahead of Big Alcohol’s concerns for profits. It’s time to tell the senators to kill this bill and let the Supreme Court ruling stand. It’s time to tax alcopops as distilled spirits.

Protect Nebraska Youth From Alcopops — Tell State Legislators to Vote NO on LB 824!
(Source: Alcohol Justice, 03/23/12)

The rumours were true; the new Government Alcohol Strategy: Choice, Challenge and Responsibility confirms minimum pricing is to be brought in for England. Although the unit price is still to be set, in a press release the Prime Minister said „if it is 40p that could mean 50,000 fewer crimes each year and 9,000 fewer alcohol related deaths over the next decade.“

Al201103-coverThe strategy sets out key policies including:

a minimum unit price for alcohol;
banning the sale of multi-buy discount deals;
zero tolerance of drunken behaviour in A&E departments;
a late night levy to get pubs and clubs helping to pay for policing; and
improved powers to stop serving alcohol to drunks.

The strategy sets itself out as a plan to reduce binge-drinking in a bid to drive down crime and tackle health issues. The decision to introduce a minimum unit price means that alcohol will not be allowed to be sold below a fixed price per unit – a policy advocated by health groups and Alcohol Concern for a number of years. As the release states, it „will put an end to cheap white ciders, spirits and super-strength lagers“. It is expected to go out for consultation, with a possible introduction by 2014.

Launching the strategy, the Prime Minister said:

“When beer is cheaper than water, it’s just too easy for people to get drunk on cheap alcohol at home before they even set foot in the pub.

“[Minimum pricing] isn’t about stopping responsible drinking, adding burdens on business or some new kind of stealth tax – it’s about fast immediate action where universal change is needed.

“And let’s be clear. This will not hurt pubs. A pint is two units. If the minimum price is 40p a unit, it won’t affect the price of a pint. In fact, pubs may benefit by making the cheap alternatives in supermarkets more expensive.

“Of course, I know this won’t be universally popular. But the responsibility of being in government isn’t always about doing the popular thing. It’s about doing the right thing.

(Source: Alcohol Policy UK, 03/23/12)
our online-comment: Let’s hope the minimum price will be high enough and that the EU accepts it.
For a conservative government this is a strong signal. Other countries should follow.

See also comment by Eurocare, with which we fully agree.
See also „How significant is a minimum unit price for alcohol of 40p?“ by The Institute For Fiscal Studies.

Plans for a minimum unit price for alcohol have been approved in principle by the Scottish Parliament. The Scottish government’s alcohol bill passed its first major parliamentary hurdle without opposition, by 86 votes to nil, with 32 abstentions on Wednesday afternoon.
After a debate at Holyrood, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats supported the legislation, while Labour abstained. …

The Scottish government said it accepted that minimum pricing was not a „magic bullet“ but was an important part of its strategy.
Speaking ahead of the vote, Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon told Holyrood that decisive action must be taken to „stem the flow of cheap high-strength drink“. „The link between price and consumption, and between consumption and harm, is irrefutable”. She added: „It’s not some sort of magic bullet that will solve all of our nation’s problems with alcohol. However, it is essential if we are to make a significant contribution to reducing consumption.“
Ms Sturgeon promised she would announce what the minimum price per unit would be before Holyrood’s final vote on the legislation later in this parliament. …
(Source: Alcohol Reports, News, 03/19/12) bbc.co.uk, 03/14/12