www.alkoholpolitik.ch

An die Redaktion
der Coopzeitung

coopzeitung@coop.ch

Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,

„Junge Frauen im Alkoholrausch“

Ihre Kurznachricht an vorderer Stelle in der letzten Nr. 45 vom 6. Nov. 18 muss für Sie wie eine Erfolgsstory, ein Triumpfgesang tönen: Gemäss der aktuellen Gesundheitsbefragung des Bundesamtes für Statistik hat sich die Zahl der jugendlichen Rauschtrinkerinnen zwischen 2007 und 2017 verdoppelt. Bei den männlichen Jugendlichen gab es einen Anstieg von 19% auf ebenfalls 24%. Ihre Mitwirkung bei der Einführung der Alcopops hat sich somit ausgezahlt. Die Frauen und die Jugendlichen wurden damit für den Alkoholkonsum gewonnen, für Nachwuchs bei den Alkoholschäden haben Sie massgeblich, als grösster Alkoholhändler in der Schweiz mitgesorgt. Mindestens die heutigen über 100’000 Kinder und Jugendliche, die in alkoholbelasteten Familien aufwachsen müssen, und die kommenden Generationen werden es Ihnen hoffentlich danken.

Freundliche Grüsse

Hermann Meyer

(nicht veröffentlicht)

Ich finde es sehr löblich, dass für einmal ein Lifestyle-Magazin die Alkoholfrage thematisiert und eine interessante Diskussion hervorruft. Normalerweise sind heute in jeder Zeitung Lifestyle-Rubriken, die meistens Alkoholwerbung betreiben. Was heute als Lifestyle daherkommt, ist nichts anderes als das offensichtliche Zeichen dafür, dass die Alkoholindustrie mit ihren Werbekomplizen ihr Ziel praktisch erreicht haben. Was in der 2. Hälfte des letzten Jahrhunderts mit “Ein Bier mit dir” begann, kulminierte mit der Erreichung der Mädchen mit Alcopops. Wir sind fremdbestimmt durch die Alkohollobby.

Alcohol ads that violate industry guidelines are more likely to appear in magazines popular with teen readers, a new study finds. Ads violate industry guidelines if they appear to target a primarily underage audience, highlight the high alcohol content of a product, or portray drinking in conjunction with activities that require a high degree of alertness or coordination, such as swimming.

Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health studied 1,261 ads for alcopops, beer, spirits or wine that appeared more than 2,500 times in 11 magazines that are popular among teens. The ads were rated according to a number of factors, such as whether they portrayed over-consumption of alcohol, addiction content, sex-related content, or injury content. ….
(Source:Join Together, 08/09/12)

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)

Am 19. Januar 2012 bestätigte das Bundesgericht, dass „Zweikomponenten-Cocktails“ als Alcopops einzustufen sind. Ein Versuch zur Umgehung der Sonderbestimmung für Alcopops wurde damit gestoppt. Urteil 2C_712/2011 des Bundesgerichts, Medienmitteilung der Eidg. Alkoholverwaltung. (Quelle: infoset.ch, 13.4.12)

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)

e.g. Alcohol, Drugs To Ease Anxiety Could Spur Substance-Abuse Problems
– More than half of Americans drink alcohol: report
– Zero alcohol law welcomed by SADD (New Zealand)
– New Study Highlights More Dangers Of „Alcopop“ Consumption (USA)
(Source: Alcohol Reports, 08/8/11)

Die Zürcher Getränkeimport-Firma Bevis versuchte die Alcopop-Steuer zu umgehen, indem sie „Conelly-Cocktails“ importieren wollte. Diese kommen in sogenannten Twin-Cans – zwei mit einem Plastikring verbundenen Dosen. Die eine enthält Alkohol, die andere Fruchtsaft. Das Mischen übernimmt der Konsument. Die Eidg. Alkoholverwaltung stufte die Cocktails als Alcopops ein. Bevis legte beim Bundesverwaltungsgericht Beschwerde ein. Dieses entschied nach eingehender Untersuchung mit Degustationen am 8. Juli zu Gunsten der EAV. (Quelle: Tages-Anzeiger, 20.7.11, Kehrseite, nicht online)

Probably yes but there is a bigger picture.
The Australian Government’s decision to raise taxes on ready-to-drink spirit-based beverages (RTDs; “alcopops”) in 2008 caused great controversy. Interest groups have selectively cited evidence to support their points of view.
The alcohol industry cited Victorian data from the Australian Secondary Students’ Alcohol and Drug Survey (ASSADS) as evidence that the tax had failed, but closer examination of the data suggests that fewer students are drinking, and fewer are drinking at risky or high-risk levels. Excise data from the first full year after the tax came into effect showed a more than 30% reduction in RTD sales and a 1.5% reduction in total pure alcohol sold in Australia. … (Source: Alcohol Reports, 07/17/11)

– reports the Telegraph. A survey found 47 per cent of alcopops had been on offer in the past year, compared to only 20 per cent of red wines and 10 per cent of after-dinner tipples such as port. The Health Secretary recently called on supermarkets to take further action on front of store sales as part of the controversial Responsibilty Deal. (Source: Alcohol Policy UK, 06/29/11) telegraph.co.uk, 06/05/11