www.alkoholpolitik.ch

An Indiana University study (APHA 2010) found that Indiana spends more on the health care consequences of substance abuse than on its prevention.
Eric Wright, director of the Center for Health Policy at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, said that for every dollar Indiana spends on services dealing directly and indirectly with substance abuse, 66 cents are used for health care-related consequences while only 1 cent pays for prevention/intervention initiatives. (Source: Medical News Today, 11/10/10)

Within the framework of the European Alcohol and Health Forum (EAHF) a 3rd Open Forum will be held in Brussels (Centre Albert Borschette) on 19 November 2010 from 10h00 till 17h00.
The Open Forum is an opportunity for exchange of information and discussion with a broader range of interested parties than the EAHF membership. It also provides networking possibilities among stakeholders who wish to contribute to the reduction of alcohol-related harm.
The 3rd Open Forum presents the European Alcohol and Health Forum’s work, and provides an update of policy developments in the Europe and internationally. Topics for debate will be the Social Cost of Alcohol, Information to Consumers and Responsible Selling and Serving. (Source: EU-events update, 11/10/10)

A study conducted in New Zealand has found that a resident’s risk of binge drinking and alcohol-related harms increases with each alcohol-selling outlet located within convenient walking distance of home, the University of Otago reported Oct. 1.
University researchers surveyed 1,925 adults in 2007 on their alcohol use and then compared the results with mapping of all outlets where alcohol is sold, such as supermarkets and convenience stores. Jennie Connor, Ph.D., of the university’s Department of Preventive and Social Medicine, reported that for every take-home („off-license“) alcohol outlet within 1 kilometer, a person’s risk for binge drinking increased by about 4 percent. (Source: Join Together, 11/05/10)

Hospital_Booze. As competition among hospitals stiffens, some institutions are resorting to offering patients a few too many comforts of home— or of their local bar. Despite being known to weaken the immune system and prolong illness, hospitals are starting to serve patients alcohol in hopes of wooing more business.
While these hospitals purportedly rely on physician approval, the potential for abuse is staggering. Susan Levin, the director of nutrition education at the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, called the practice ‘mind-boggling.’“When you consider amount of medications people are on in hospitals — it’s a dangerous system to begin with before you even start mixing alcohol into the cocktail,“ she noted in an interview with NPR.
Considering that so many patients are in the hospital in the first place due to alcohol-related problems, this idea seems especially twisted. The healthcare costs from alcohol consumption alone have been estimated to more than $26 billion dollars, or $686 for every person living in America. With all that’s known about alcohol and health, it is shocking that hospitals are willing to put their patients at risk just for a few extra dollars. (Source: Marin Institute, 11/03/10)

Massachusetts voted to repeal a 6.25 percent alcohol tax, and Washington has blocked at least one measure seeking to privatize liquor distribution. Meanwhile, California approved Prop. 26, possibly negating efforts to require the alcohol industry, among others, to pay for the harm caused by their products. (Source: Join Together, 11/03/10)

Alcohol is the most damaging drug to the drinker and others overall, heroin and crack are the second and third most harmful, Professor David Nutt and colleagues wrote in the medical journal The Lancet today. When all factors related to self harm and harm to others are considered, alcohol comes out top. The authors explain that drugs, including tobacco products and alcohol are major contributors to damage to individuals as well as society as a whole.
The harms that are caused by drugs need to be comprehensively assessed so that policy makers can be properly advised regarding health, social care and policing, the authors write; not an easy undertaking because drugs can cause damage in so many different ways. (Source: Medical News Today, 11/1/10) our online-comment: For many decades alcohol has been called the socio-medical problem No.1. This study is just an additional piece of proof. But a very valuable one, as it comes in a time when governments are not willing to implement the new alcohol strategy of the World Health Organization (May 2010), even if they signed it, because they are under permanent pressure of the global alcohol industry. This sort of corruption costs human tragedies and lives every day and the people is not able to protest as it is not informed.
(see press release by Active, 11/03/10)

Today, in reaction to calls from their Thai partners and friends, young Europeans send an urgent call to the European Commission, the Member States of the EU and the broader public: alcohol is no ordinary commodity!
Andrea Lavesson, president of Active – sobriety, friendship and peace, explains the background: “We have received calls for support from our Thai friends in protecting the health and social safety of young people in Thailand, where right now the European Commission is conducting negotiations with the Thai government about mutual Free Trade Agreement. The problem is, and that bothers many young people in Thailand, that the European Commission puts pressure on the Thais to include alcohol into the Free Trade Agreement even though the Thai government is against it for the simple reason – to protect public health.”

In fact, the negotiations have been put on halt for the Thai government to consult with civil society and assess the health and social impacts if alcohol be included as trade commodity in the Free Trade Agreement (FTA). While civil society protests against an inclusion, the business sector of importers, hotels, tourism enterprises, restaurants and alcohol industry mount heavy campaigns to get alcohol from Europe into the country.

Alcohol costs the Europeans 125 Billion tax payers € per year, an amount that is more than four times higher than what alcohol production, retail and consumption contribute to the economy. A disproportionate amount of the medical, psychological and social costs has to be shouldered by young Europeans under 25. Despite these facts and the apparent economical imbalance, the European Commission labels alcohol as an important agro-food export commodity.

“This alarms both Thai and European youth – and together we say: alcohol is not like oat. It’s surely no ordinary commodity,” says Andrea Lavesson, “even the WHO global alcohol strategy reflects that truth by stating that Public health should be given proper deference in relation to competing interests. We demand that the European Commission protects the integrity of that document that all EU Member States have ratified this year.”

“In Europe we make the experience every day that the alcohol industry makes its way to the decision makers”, tells Andrea Lavesson, “therefore it is important to understand that the alcohol industry’s business methods in developing countries are – and I’m not exaggerating – highly immoral. Alcohol industry violates their own codes of conduct wherever possible and target young people. Beer girls are, among other methods, used to promote alcohol drinks and increase sales.”
Andrea Lavesson sends a clear message to the European Commission and Member States: “Such an industry should not be invited to the table of diplomatic negotiations! If not the European Commission, who is to safe guard the interests of young people and to be a role model in public health protection?”

Kind regards and we, wish you a great day!
press release. For immediate release 28th October 2010

Three Oklahoma officials urged state lawmakers to raise the alcohol tax to help address a 2012 fiscal year budget deficit that could be as large as $800 million, the Associated Press reported Oct. 14.
Health Commissioner Terry Cline and Mental Health Commissioner Terri White were joined by Department of Human Services director Howard Hendrick in advocating for the alcohol tax increase.
Cline said that his agency cut employees and services to meet a 15 percent cut for the past two years. „One or two years of cuts to that infrastructure could result in decades of loss in terms of well-being for constituents in our system,“ he said. (Source: Join Together, 10/18/10)

Put on the ballot by the Wine Institute (along with Chevron and the California Chamber of Commerce), Proposition 26 will prevent the alcohol industry from being held accountable for the harm it causes in California. So far, Big Alcohol has donated more than $700,000 to the measure. – Read More – Take Action (Source: Marin INstitute News, 10/7/10)

On September 29th, Marin Institute’s Research and Policy Director Michele Simon testified before Congress in support of House Resolution 5034 – the Comprehensive Alcohol Regulatory Effectiveness (CARE) Act of 2010. In the wake of ongoing litigation that threatens the ability of states to properly regulate alcohol, the CARE Act reaffirms the state‘s authority to protect the public. Michele Simon’s testimony highlighted the critical role that state regulation plays in curbing potential harm from alcohol sales and over-consumption. Read her full testimony here. (Source: Marin Institute News, 10/7/10)