www.alkoholpolitik.ch

Alcohol use is the third greatest contributor to the global burden of disease, estimated to cause 3.8% of all deaths. Among people aged 15 to 44 years, alcohol is estimated to result in 4.6% of all disability-adjusted life years lost and a disproportionate number of fatal injuries. 2 Heavy drinking is classified as the consumption of more than 210 g of alcohol per week for men and more than 140 g per week for women, owing to differences in clearance and body size. As a metabolic poison, heavy alcohol use is
associated with cardiovascular disease, oral cancers and liver cirrhosis. As an intoxicant, it causes dependency, injuries and trauma as well as substantial social harms. (Source: Alcohol Reports, 01/18/11) cmaj.ca, CMAJ 2011. DOI:10.1503/cmaj.110029 our Online-Comment: In May 2010 the General Assembly of the World Health Organization held in Geneva accepted with all votes of the 193 member states a Resolution on a global Alcohol Strategy. In it the evidence-based measures are listed which reduce the general consumption of alcohol in a given society. No need to wait any longer.

An increase in the state alcohol tax is on the to-do list of the Maryland General Assembly, and some recent polls show much of the public wouldn’t be against it.
A coalition of health care advocates is lobbying to increase the tax at the wholesale level. The trickle-down effect would mean consumers pay 10 cents more per drink, but it would generate more than $200 million a year. A statewide poll found that 66 percent of voters support an increase, 42 percent strongly favor the money be spent on health priorities, and 39 percent favor using the revenues to offset the deficit. (Source: Google Alcohol News, 01/15/11) wbaltv.com, 01/14/11

Introduction: People other than the drinker experience harmful consequences from alcohol misuse, accounting for part of the economic burden to society. Little has been done on costing harm to others.
Conclusion: Few studies have reported costs on the magnitude from harm to people other than the drinker, therefore the overall economic burden of risky alcohol consumption across countries is underestimated. This review may be considered a starting point for future research on costing alcohol harm to others. (Source: Alcohol Reports, 01/10/11) National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia, Available online 28 December 2010. sciencedirect.com

Alcohol may soon come with a new kind of high. It’s not stronger proof. It’s a higher tax.
Alex DeMetrick reports supporters of a “Dime a Drink Tax” think they have a shot at making it happen in Maryland. If you like to pull a cork, you might pay an extra 10 cents for every glass. It’s called the “Dime a Drink Tax,” and it would hit all alcoholic drinks, if Maryland’s legislature approves it this year. For supporters like health care providers, this may be a good thing. “Alcohol excise tax is a win-win for the state. They provide much needed revenue, and reduce alcohol consumption and related problems,” said David Jernigan, Johns Hopkins professor.
“Some 44 percent of Marylanders do not drink. They will pay no tax,” said Jernigan. The “Dime a Drink Tax” could raise $215 million in new revenue. For light to moderate drinkers, the tax would amount to only $10.83 per year. The last time Maryland raised the tax on alcohol was in 1972. (Source: Google Alcohol News, 01/04/11) baltimore.cbslocal.com, 01/04/11 our Online-Comment: Everybody should understand that:
– We are all passive drinkers, as the World Health Organization tells us. We suffer under reduced life quality and pay the whole life long terrific amounts for social costs because of alcohol.
– Alcohol taxes are very low and do not cover the social costs. By inflation it gets always cheaper. Since 1972!
– Higher prices mean less harm from alcohol, less social costs: savings.
– Those who drink moderately or not at all have the most profit. No or little more taxes and the lot of profit.
– Taxes should be combined with inflation anualy.

By Joseph A. Califano, Jr.
The New Year is a time for resolutions and here are my suggestions for some of those responsible for curbing drug and alcohol abuse and addiction:
For doctors: Resolve to take responsibility to treat substance abuse and addiction with the same medical professionalism devoted to other diseases.
For medical schools: Resolve to give more than the usual two or three hours to teach the subject of substance abuse and addiction. Then medical students won’t have to wait until their clinical training, residencies and fellowships to learn how alcohol and other drug abuse and addiction cause and exacerbate most ailments and accidents they will confront as family doctors, general surgeons or cancer or other specialists. …. (Source: The Chairman’s Corner, 01/03/11) our Online-Comment: I find the wishes to the Obama-administration and to all of us are too weak. We have to inform about the WHO-Resolution on a global Alcohol-Strategy, which gives exact proposals what we can do to reduce the alcohol related harm. The people and the politicians cannot discuss the matter without this information. That’s why the lobbying of the alcohol industry is still too strong and effective.

Want to enjoy a mimosa with Sunday morning brunch at a chic restaurant on Las Olas Boulevard?
Sorry. You have to stick with the orange juice only. That champagne bottle can’t be uncorked.
Unlike many other cities in South Florida from Miami Beach to Wilton Manors, Fort Lauderdale prohibits alcohol from being sold before noon on Sundays. Restaurateurs and bar owners are mounting an effort to change that longstanding ordinance. (Source: Google Alcohol News, 01/01/11) weblogs.sun-sentinel.com, 01/01/11 with our Online-Comments: When this law was decided, the lawmakers had the intention to prevent alcohol problems. The best measure is to rise prices, the second best to limit availability of the product. At the end the restriction on Sunday was left. From a christian point of view there are several reasons to prevent alcohol problems. Today alcohol marketing has troubled our clear view on what is necessary for our society, so every group which has a profit from alcohol sales opposes any restriction. But the people in general would have more social costs to pay and less quality of life. (an other one pending)

Excessive alcohol consumption has a huge hidden cost to Victorian society, Premier Ted Baillieu said today.
Visiting the Alfred Hospital Emergency and Trauma Centre with Minister for Mental Health Mary Wooldridge, Mr Baillieu said the Coalition Government’s Operation Unite campaign to be launched this weekend will highlight the dangers of over-consumption of alcohol.
Operation Unite will stage a weekend of action by police on 17 and 18 December across Australia and New Zealand to reduce alcohol misuse and related threats to public safety and order. (Source: Google Alcohol News, 12/20/10) ausfoodnews.com, 12/20/10 our Online-Comment: It sounds nice, those words for a stressed audience. But asking for awareness is not enough. It needs an alcohol policy which implements the global alcohol strategy of the WHO (World Health Organisation) in order to reduce alcohol consumption in general. This is the duty of politicians and governments.

Substance abuse and addiction have a profound impact on all sectors of society. They are major contributors to a wide range of health and social problems, including domestic violence, child abuse and neglect, crime, chronic health problems, increased mortality, higher healthcare costs, and lost productivity.
The real economic impact of substance abuse is difficult to quantify empirically because there are both direct and indirect consequences…. According to our analysis, a total of $7.3 billion in allocations can be attributed to substance abuse; representing a per-capita share of $1,145. Most of Indiana’s funding is allocated to address the consequences of alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use rather than to prevent or reduce its occurrence.
For every dollar Indiana spends on services dealing directly or indirectly with substance use, 66 cents are used for healthcare, while only 1 cent pays for prevention/intervention initiatives. (Source: Alcohol Reports, 12/17/10)

VANCOUVER – Alcohol is the cheapest drug in B.C., says a report released Thursday by the Centre for Addictions Research, which recommends a hike in liquor prices to reduce illness and injuries.
At the same time, researchers at centre at the University of Victoria recommend setting up a type of safe-drinking program offering free alcohol to homeless alcoholics to reduce their use of hazardous sources such as rubbing alcohol or mouthwash.
It can cost as little as 58 cents for a single-serving drink in B.C. liquor stores, meaning it costs as little as $2.32 for an average woman to exceed national guidelines for daily consumption and as little as $2.80 for an average man, said the report. The report authors looked at the price of every one of the 5,506 products on liquor store shelves in the province and the price of a standard drink ranged from 58 cents to $994.
„There’s quite a lot of very cheap drinks out there,“ said lead researcher Tim Stockwell. (Source: Google Alcohol News, 12/17/10) winnipegfreepress.com, 12/16/10

Village officials say sales of liquor at stores like Costco and Binny’s will offset any sales tax revenue lost by an alcohol tax decrease. (Michelle Manchir/Tribune)
Bolingbrook shoppers will pay a little less in taxes for alcohol they buy at retail stores beginning next year.
Village trustees approved with a 5-0 vote to cut the tax from 6 percent to 3 percent on packaged wine, beer and liquor.
Mayor Roger Claar said the recent opening of Binny’s at the Promenade and of Costco, with their large volume of sales and regional attraction, will offset any revenue lost from the sales tax. (Source: Google Alcohol News, 12/16/10) triblocal.com, 12/15/10 Comment: That means more sales and more harm from alcohol. Shouldn’t trustees be trusted?