Alcohol Issues Newsletter August 15 – August 19, 2022
This week’s Alcohol Issues highlights
- Secondhand Alcohol Harm Is Concern for Most Americans.
- Alcohol Labels Are Confusing People in Australia.
- And a new study about: Health-Oriented Marketing on Alcohol Products in Australia.
- AB InBev Withdraws Legal Battle Against South African Government.
This week’s most popular stories
- Alcohol-Specific Deaths Increased Slightly in Scotland.
- Alcohol Policy Reversal: Delhi City Government Scraps Plan to Privatize Sale of Alcohol.
- New Alcohol and Other Drugs Resource For GPs in Australia.
Most Popular on the News Center
Special Feature – No. 27
Africa’s Alcohol Burden
How alcohol companies fuel harm and hinder sustainable development in Africa and what can be done about it
The African region is home to 16% of the world’s population. Out of this, only 5% are alcohol consumers. Culturally the people in this continent have mostly lived alcohol-free. But now Big Alcohol is manipulating the new cultural revolution in Africa to push more alcohol products on people, and create a demand for alcohol that does not exist, in the relentless push of ever more profits.
Overall, trends in alcohol consumption, alcohol’s contribution to the global burden of disease, and progress towards global targets are all pointing the wrong direction.
- Without action, Africa could see an increase in both the absolute number and proportion of people consuming alcohol, the amount consumed per capita and heavy episodic alcohol use.
One example is the practices of Big Alcohol during the height of the coronavirus pandemic: In the African region, prior to the pandemic, at-home alcohol use made up barely one-third of alcohol sales. Since the coronavirus outbreak Big Alcohol’s heavy pandemic centric marketing, and their aggressive push for online alcohol sale and delivery have turned more people on the continent into at-home alcohol users.
In addition to aggressive alcohol marketing practices and the use of new technologies to make alcohol more widely and easily available, lobbying and political interference is a third category of practices Big Alcohol deploys: lobbying initiatives sponsored by alcohol producers and their front groups interfere in a number of sub‐Saharan countries by promoting ‘partnership’ with governments only to hijack the development of national alcohol policies totally in the interest of Big Alcohol.
The health, social, environmental, and economic burden due to alcohol is heavy and growing across African countries.
A recent study found that in rural Uganda intimate partner violence (IPV) is very common and has a dose-response relationship with alcohol consumption and alcohol outlet proximity. There is an urgent need for IPV and alcohol intervention programs in rural communities. Policy to restrict the proximity of alcohol outlets to residential locations should be examined as an intervention for alcohol consumption and IPV perpetration.
The alcohol industry exploits small holder farmers in Africa. Big Alcohol companies increase farmers’ dependence on cash crops, for instance those that can only be used for alcohol production. But that undermines food production and leaves farmers vulnerable to Big Alcohol’s unethical practices.
In a brand new opinion article, Brenda shines a light on Big Alcohol practices that harm food security and entire livelihoods.
Pink, glitter, “mummy juice” or “wine o’clock” time… alcohol selling strategies that can be patronizing and damaging have proliferated in recent years.
In a recent guest expert column, Caroline Kahiu examines how the alcohol industry is trying to convert African women to alcohol consumption – and which consequences that is having now and in the future.
The alcohol industry‘s strategy of using young women to promote beer in Benin City, Nigeria ‘sexualizes’ beer marketing. It exposes beer promoters to health and social risks because they may be coerced into unwanted relationships as a condition for some men to purchase their brands (or sell more and meet their targets).
Another example of alcohol’s secondhand harm is the epidemic of road traffic fatalities on the African continent. A report by the World Bank on alcohol fueled road traffic crashes in Malawi. showed that an alcohol prevalence of 30.7% among males and 2.5% among females who were in road traffic accidents. However, 19.2% of the accidents affected women indicating a disproportionate burden on women.
Alcohol policy solutions can protect the people of Africa from alcohol harm. Especially alcohol taxation has significant potential to prevent and reduce alcohol harm, promote health and development, and generate government revenue.
The Alcohol Issues Podcast
In-depth conversations with policy makers, community leaders and scientists, driving the global discourse about 21st century alcohol policy solutions.
The Alcohol Issues Podcast is an original production by Movendi International. It’s a show about current alcohol issues of global importance. Through in-depth conversations with policy makers, community leaders and scientists, we explore alcohol policy issues, discuss landmark scientific studies, and expose the alcohol industry.
