www.alkoholpolitik.ch

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)

Using taxes to curb drinking:
In 2008, the Australian government introduced an ‘alcopops tax’ on spirit-based ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages to reduce alcohol consumption and particularly binge drinking by young people.
Data regarding sales of alcoholic beverages in Australia from 2004 to 2009 were used to examine the possible effects of the alcopops tax. In addition, population data were used to calculate and examine per capita consumption.
Various measures of consumption of wine-based RTDs, spirits, cider, wine and beer remained fairly stable or increased annually from 2004 to 2009. Consumption of spirit-based RTDs increased annually from 2004 to 2007, but then decreased in 2008 and 2009. Per capita alcohol consumption in terms of pure alcohol increased annually from 11.52 litres in 2004 to a peak of 11.79 litres in 2007, but then dropped to 11.55 litres and 11.41 litres in 2008 and 2009, respectively. (Source: Alcohol Reports, 03/21/11) Comment: This alcopop tax must have been far too small to have a real effect. In Switzerland the sales dropped by about 75%. (Here 3%)

Lawmakers have been weighing whether to raise the tax on alcoholic beverages since the first day of this year’s legislative session. But the idea is getting a fresh look in recent weeks — with a twist.
Health advocates recently learned that DC imposes a „special sales tax“ on alcohol, charging an extra 3-4 percent on top of the regular 6 percent sales tax rate. Maryland, they argue, should follow the District’s lead and develop its own special sales tax for alcohol.
The new proposal comes as the General Assembly is getting into the nitty gritty of Gov. Martin O’Malley’s $14 billion general fund budget. Revenue increases are considered separately from the budget, but they generally go hand in hand. (Source: Google Alcohol News, 03/18/11) weblogs.baltimoresun.com, 03/17/11 our Online-Comment: Alcohol taxes should be seen in relation to the damage and harm alcoholic beverages produce in society. Alcohol taxes should be high enough to reduce general consumption. This would reduce also the tribute we pay a life long without being asked for alcohol related social costs. The profit goes to the alcohol industry.

The government is receiving a lot of criticism from a number of different health groups based on their refusal to sign up for a „responsibility deal“ regarding alcohol sales in England. The deal created by organizations like Alcohol Concern, British Liver Trust and the Royal College of Physicians is voluntary and encourages the drink industry to label the alcohol units on their beverages and to take on the problem of alcohol abuse. … (Source: Google Alcohol News, 03/14/11) topnews.us, 03/14/11

Alcoholic drinks sold in pubs and restaurants in Linz will not become more expensive due to higher taxes after such plans by the Social Democrats (SPÖ) were snubbed by political rivals.
The SPÖ department in the Upper Austrian city said today (Fri) the factions of People’s Party (ÖVP), the Freedom Party (FPÖ), the Alliance for the Future of Austria (BZÖ) and the Austrian Communist Party (KPÖ) rejected its draft bill. The Greens declared abstention from the vote, according to the SPÖ.
The party of Mayor Franz Dobusch announced last weekend it wanted to set up an extra tax on alcoholic beverages for sale in bars and eateries in the city. The Linz SPÖ explained prices of beer, wine and other alcoholic drinks would have risen by around 15 per cent. (Source: Google Alcohol News, 03/13/11) wienerzeitung.at, 03/11/11 Comment: As usual, the profits to the industry, the harm and social costs to the state and the people.

Introducing a minimum price for alcohol in Northern Ireland is an important step in the prevention of suicide and self-harm, as well as addressing wider health and social issues the Royal College of Psychiatrists in Northern Ireland has said.
Dr Philip McGarry, Chair of the Royal College of Psychiatrists in Northern Ireland, welcomed the consultation into alcohol pricing launched today by Social Development Minister Alex Attwood and Health Minister Michael McGimpsey, but said the floor price must be set high enough to have a genuine impact on problem drinking. (Source: Medical News Today, 03/07/11)

A Cardiff University study has established a link between pub violence and happy hour-style drinking promotions.
The findings also show that pub staff themselves need to do more to stop heavily intoxicated customers from continuing to drink. (Source: Medical News Today, 03/07/11)

a population-based natural experiment.
Aims: Finland experienced a large reduction in alcohol prices in 2004 due to in the lowering of alcohol taxes by about one-third and the abolition of duty-free allowances for travellers from the European Union. We examined the effects of these changes on alcohol-related hospitalizations. …
Conclusions: The results, obtained in a natural experimental setting when trends and seasonal variation had been taken into account, suggest that the reduction in alcohol prices led to increases in alcohol-related hospitalization in certain population groups, mainly among 50–69-year-olds, in Finland. (Source: Alcohol Reports, 03/05/11) onlinelibrary.wiley.com, 02/14/11

Alcohol industry resists legal restrictions.
The alcohol industry profits from governments with a policy that legally restricts them as minimal as possible. That is why the worldwide alcohol industry takes a stand against measures such as the raise of excise-duty, the introduction of minimum prizes for cheap booze, raising the minimum age for buying alcoholic beverages, restricting the number of outlet points, putting warning labels on products and restricting advertisement. It’s these measures that can achieve the reduction of alcohol use and the decline of damages caused by the use of alcohol. The industry doesn’t mind having to do more informing, because this is mostly ineffective, does not threaten the revenues and benefits the image of the industry.
Consequences of alcohol are terribly hard; governments remain passive. …
Influence of the alcohol industry costs human lives. ….
A number of European health organizations have concluded that the influence of the alcohol industry on the policy of national and European governments is very effective. The result of this is that essential (evidence based) policy changes are held of and the dramatic damages caused by alcohol are not contained. The success of the industry, according to these organizations, means that many people die unnecessarily due to alcohol use and that costs for society are kept needlessly high. …
Screening the alcohol industry lobby. …..
Eleven organizations from different countries, that are concerned about the successful lobby of the alcohol industry, have jointly analyzed this lobby. The results of this are captured in the report „The Seven Key Messages of the Alcohol Industry“. The report can be ordered through EUCAM (www.EUCAM.info), a partnership of a number of European health organizations. The purpose of this report is to give politicians, officials and health organizations insight into the strategic working manners and thinking of the alcohol industry. …
The seven messages of the industry that are illuminated through examples from various countries are: … (See our article on January 2nd 2011)

I am sitting on the Justice and Electoral Select Committee as we hear submissions on the Alcohol Reform Bill for two days in Auckland.
There have been so many powerful and moving submissions. Some brave individuals have shared their own stories of alcohol harm. Overwhelmingly submitters are urging that a decisive leadership role is taken in dealing with alcohol harm. Submitters illustrate time and again what research has shown and that is as a drug alcohol causes greater harm to others than to self. (Source: Google Alcohol News, 03/04/11) blog.labour.org.nz, 03/04/11 our Online-Comment:
It’s really funny how many “experts” discuss this problem without knowing the facts. One of the included problems is that information is not coming to the public. In May 2010 the World Health Organization has accepted with all member states a resolution on a Global Alcohol Strategy. The harm alcohol does and the effective measures to reduce the problems are shown in detail. Did the New Zealand people got this information? In many countries the alcohol lobby is so strong that medias and government health agencies did not dare to inform the public.
The WHO calls all of us “passive drinkers” because we all suffer directly or indirectly from alcohol-related harm and we pay during a lifetime without ever being asked an awful lot of money for alcohol-related social costs. (income tax, insurance premiums)
The best measure to reduce harm is to reduce consumption by higher alcohol prices. This reduces consumption in all groups. The majority, the moderate consumers have the best profit. They pay a little more taxes but have the full profit of less social costs. And everybody has the freedom to drink as much as he likes or want to afford. Our freedom is only restricted by the alcohol industry which forces us to suffer and pay the social costs they produce. They have the profits the public has to pay the damage.
To reduce the availability is the second best measure.
To bring down the BAC-limit would be very effective. If it is combined with strong controls. In Europe the result was a reduction of 15 to 20% in mortality, alcohol related accidents and injuries. And the effect remained for years. Why not use the experience of other countries and science?