Week #32 Global Alcohol Policy Round-Up
WORLDWIDE WEEKLY ALCOHOL POLICY, SCIENCE, INDUSTRY HIGHLIGHTS
Welcome to another week of carefully curated alcohol policy news, latest science updates, and more Big Alcohol revelations.
Special Feature #1
Alcohol taxation for universal health coverage: the case of the Philippines…
Special Feature #2
Members news from Sri Lanka where ADIC has launched a groundbreaking training course for young journalists…
Content
For week 32, our Global Alcohol Policy Round-Up contains:
- Alcohol policy updates come from Sydney, the Baltics, the United States and the growing “sober curious” movement…
- Fresh science updates are about alcohol and diabetes, recovery from opioids, as well as alcohol and the global oral health crisis…
- Our Big Alcohol monitor exposes alcohol industry interference in Australia and AB InBev’s dirty business in Delhi, India…
Baltics: The Beer Tax War
The alcohol tax war has led Latvia to cut alcohol taxes following Estonia’s move in slashing 25% of the alcohol tax. However, in the border town Valka-Valga the reduced taxes has had no impact on business.
The principle reason of Latvia’s tax cuts was fear of losing profit from Estonian and Finnish cross-border alcohol trade. However apparently Estonia’s tax cuts did not reduce Latvian cross-border alcohol trade to begin with. Instead the tax war is just adding to the growing alcohol harm on health in one of the heaviest alcohol consuming regions of Europe.
Alcohol Major Risk Factor for Gun Violence
According to research alcohol use is more of a risk factor for gun violence than being diagnosed with a mental illness.
In the wake of two new mass shooting, U.S. President Trump stated recently mental illness as a reason for gun violence, but research has shown there are far greater risk factors. These include:
- Access to a gun,
- Alcohol and other substance use,
- Personality traits such as being more hostile,
- A history of violence, specially domestic violence.
USA: Sober Curious Movement Growing
The sober curious movement is growing in the United States with two thirds of millennials aiming to reduce their alcohol consumption.
The trend for health and wellness has been growing globally driven by millennials across the world becoming more aware and focused on healthy consumption.
Sydney Lock-Out Laws Reduce Alcohol Violence
Sydney’s Lock-Out laws are reducing alcohol related violence significantly, according to the New South Wales Nurses and Midwives’ Association (NSWNMA).
NSWNMA believes the laws should be extended state-wide according to their submission on the parliamentary inquiry on the laws. They report there have been important public health benefits from the lock-out laws. These include:
- No alcohol-related assault death at St Vincent’s Hospital in Darlinghurst;
- 25% fewer presentations for serious alcohol-related facial injuries at St Vincent’s Hospital, and over two years the number of facial trauma surgeries required because of assault more than halved;
- The “severity” of aggression significantly decreased since 2014;
- Saved $500,000 at St Vincent’s Hospital alone, due to a reduction in ambulance and medical costs linked to fewer surgeries for fractures.
Recovery from Opioid Problems in the US Population: Prevalence, Pathways and Psychological Well-Being
Research article
Changes in behaviors after diagnosis of type 2 diabetes and 10-year incidence of cardiovascular disease and mortality
Original investigation
Oral health at a tipping point
A new Lancet Series lays out why oral health has been neglected and argues that radical public health action is needed. The Series presents a considerable critique of current oral health-care systems and comes at a time when shifts within the global health agenda present an opportunity to bring much needed visibility to oral health.
The Lancet series, with two research papers and one editorial
Paper #1
“Oral diseases: a global public health challenge”
Paper #2
“Ending the neglect of global oral health: time for radical action”
Australia Exposed: Big Alcohol Calls Shots on Health Policy
A new analysis on Australia’s draft National Alcohol Strategy (NAS) reveals alcohol industry interference and undermining of health policy making.
The Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (FARE) released the analysis “Alcohol industry fingerprints: Analysis of modifications to the National Alcohol Strategy (NAS)” which confirms the NAS has been undermined after consultation with the alcohol industry.
Delhi City Gov. Rejects AB InBev Plea
Authorities in New Delhi have rejected a plea by AB InBev to temporarily lift a 3-year ban while it hears the global beer giant’s appeal against the tax evasion charges.
AB InBev – the world’s largest beer producer – is the second biggest alcohol industry actor in India’s $7 billion beer market, accounting for a 17.5% market share, according to research firm IWSR Drinks Market Analysis.
A random inspection of a high-end bar in New Delhi led to a three year investigation uncovering that SABMiller – later purchased by and merged with AB InBev in 2016 for around $100 billion – used duplicate barcodes on beer bottles supplied to retailers that year, allowing it to evade alcohol taxation.
AB InBev was subsequently barred from selling its products in the critical New Delhi market for the alleged tax evasion.
Special Feature #1:
Alcohol taxation for universal health coverage
The Case for Alcohol Tax: Funding Health Care in the Philippines
As the 18th Congress commences deliberations of the so called priority tax bills – including alcohol taxation – leaders in both Congressional chambers are adamant to increase the alcohol tax in order to continue promoting health for all in the Philippines.
In the deliberations about the measures, two major reasons for alcohol taxation have emerged…
Philippines: Alcohol Tax to Fund Free Health Care
The House of Representatives of Philippines plans to pass an act on increasing and restructuring the excise tax rates on alcohol as one of its priority legislative measures, along with the proposed national budget, before congress goes on break on October 5th.
President Duterte mentioned the proposed act on alcohol excise taxes in his fourth State of the Nation Address on July 22. As reported by Yahoo Finance, if the legislation is passed the President plans on financing a free health care programme, partly through taxing of liquor and the Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez wants this legislation to be passed within the year.
Special Feature #2:
Members news from Sri Lanka where ADIC has launched a groundbreaking training course for young journalists…
ADIC Sri Lanka: Training Young Journalists
ADIC is running a ground-breaking course for young journalists. The first training of the two-month course gathered 25 young journalists to empower them to address issues of alcohol and other drugs in their journalistic work.Read about the host of topics covered from corporate literacy to the real effects of alcohol and other drugs…