In late March this year, the Social and Labour Affairs Committee of the Latvian Parliament Seimas adopted a proposal to redefine the legal age limit for alcohol sales with the intent to better protect the public from alcohol harm. The new law would raise the age limit to 20 years, helping promote the health and safety of young people, by reducing the risk of alcohol initiation. A panel of medical experts advised the committee on the science behind the measure.
The panel presented evidence reflecting how the human brain develops until the age of 25. This underlines the need for better protecting the brain development from alcohol harm. Not exposing the brain to toxins is vital to allow it to develop to its full potential.
Movendi International has been reporting on Latvia’s initiative for better alcohol policies regularly. In 2020, Latvia had the highest population-level alcohol consumption among OECD countries. On average, Latvians consume 12.1 liters per inhabitant, excluding the consumption of tourists. In 2021, per capita alcohol continued to increase, reaching 12.2 liters. According to the Health Ministry, the country spent €56.6 million in healthcare for the direct treatment of alcohol-related issues in 2021.
Movendi International has been reporting on the alcohol harm and policy situation in Latvia with nearly 30 resource articles in recent years.
People support proposals that place common sense limit on alcohol availability
In December 2023, LSM.lv and Norstar carried out a public survey to establish people’s perception of the proposed alcohol policy improvements. Specifically they wanted to find out what people think about the proposed increase of the legal age limit for alcohol sales and the proposed reduction of alcohol sales hours between 10.00 and 22.00. Currently, Latvia allows alcohol to be sold from 08.00 to 22.00.
The survey asked the public whether they thought that this would help alleviate alcohol harm in the country.
44% of the 1,006 survey respondents believed that the two alcohol policy measures would help prevent and reduce alcohol harm.
- 20% of respondents fully agreed that the proposals would yield the expected result,
- 24% rather agreed,
- 26% rather disagreed,
- 23% of respondents completely disagreed, and
- 8% of respondents found it difficult to respond.
The level of public support shows political leaders that many people want real change and that ambitious and evidence-based alcohol policy solutions are the way to go. Thus, the Social and Labour Affairs Committee even supports towards banning alcohol sales on weekdays and Saturdays from 20.00 in the evening to 10.00 in the morning. Discussions also explore the proposal to ban alcohol sales on weekends or on Sundays.
But there is also a need to better discuss the real harm and costs due to alcohol in Latvia and that high-impact alcohol policy solutions, such as proposed, have been proven to make a real difference.
Some opposition against public interest in alcohol policy improvements
Many Latvian politicians have expressed their support for the proposed improvements to alcohol policy in the country. According to New Unity deputy leader Ingūna Circene, these amendments are only “the minimum of the minimum”. As quoted in LSM.lv, she described any opposition to these policy improvements as ‘hypocritical’.
What are we talking about here at all, we’re not banning the marketing of alcohol, we’re trying a little bit to improve and contain. This is hypocrisy from those who care about the economy or trade.”
Ingūna Circene, Deputy, New Unity
According to LSM reporting, opposition agains the evidence-based alcohol policy solutions comes from the Ministry of Economics, the Ministry of Agriculture, and the Ministry of Finance. They have offered a compromise – to reduce the time for selling alcohol for one hour in the morning and one in the evening.
MP Mairita Lūse (Progressives) stressed there was no way to reduce alcohol harm without affecting the price of alcohol through taxation.
In April 2024, the Committee will discuss amendments to the law regarding banning the sale of alcohol in shops to anyone after 3 pm on Sundays and public holidays.
New WHO Report: Alcohol Best Buys With Second Highest Return on Investment
In 2021, the “Saving lives, spending less: the case for investing in noncommunicable diseases” report from the World Health Organization showed that the alcohol policy solutions that Latvia is discussing are the second best set of options among all 16 “Best Buys” to prevent and reduce non-communicable diseases, such as cancer and heart disease.
The report also highlights alcohol and tobacco taxation specifically, as high-impact measures to finance NCDs prevention.
The alcohol policy best buys are:
- Increase excise taxes on alcoholic beverages,
- Enact and enforce bans or comprehensive limits on exposure to alcohol advertising (across multiple types of media), and
- Enact and enforce common-sense limits on the physical availability of alcohol in sales outlets (via reduced hours of sale).
These alcohol policy Best Buy solutions are being successfully implemented in several countries around the world, such as neighboring Estonia and Lithuania, as well as the Scandinavian countries, Ireland recently, and many more.
Return on investment in alcohol policy Best Buys
Limiting alcohol availability through reducing opening hours and increasing the legal age limit, as well as increasing the price of alcohol are policy solutions the yield significant return on investment for Latvian society. In fact, the WHO shows that the alcohol policy Best Buy solutions are the second best set of options among all 16 NCD Best Buys.
Investing US$1 in the implementation of the three alcohol policy Best Buys generates a return on investment of more than US$8.
A landmark 2023 study showed very similar results regarding the benefits of the alcohol policy solutions being deliberated in Latvia. The researchers identified 30 cost-effective interventions to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the fastest way possible. Among these interventions, alcohol policy and especially alcohol taxation have been ranked as the second and third most effective intersectoral policies.
Sources
ENG.LSM.Iv: “Raising booze-buying age limit idea moves forward“
The Mayor: “Latvia to raise drinking age to 20“
