Title: Liberalization of alcohol control legislation and it
1Liberalization of alcohol control legislation
and its relation to alcohol consumption lessons
to be learnt from LithuaniaRiga 2007 03 12
- Dr. Aurelijus Veryga
- Kaunas University of Medicine
- Lithuanian National Tobacco and Alcohol Control
Coalition - National Health Board
2Pure Alcohol Consumption Liters per capita
Source Department of Statistics to the
Government of the Republic of Lithuania WHO/Europ
e/European HFA Database
3Alcohol Consumption Among Schoolchildren
Source ESPAD research data
4Reported alcohol use during one drinking episode
among women
STD, 2005
5Reported alcohol use during one drinking episode
among men
STD, 2005
6Sales of Alcoholic Drinks
Source Department of Statistics to the
Government of the Republic of Lithuania
7Mental and Behavioral Disorders Due to Use of
Alcohol for 100 000 of Population
Source State mental health centre
8Road Accidents Caused by Drunk Drivers
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
Total (number of accidents) 5972 6091 5963 6360 6790
Drunk drivers (number of accidents) 770 766 649 752 850
Deaths caused by drunk drivers (number of persons) 101 78 68 84 90
Injured persons by drunk drivers (number of persons) 1071 1112 918 1094 1257
Source Lithuanian police traffic supervision
service
9Self reported problems to buy alcohol and tobacco
(age 12-17)
Kaunas University of Medicine, 2004
10Prognosis
- According to strategic marketing research
company Euromonitor International during next
five years due to rise of population income,
liberal legislative base, and development of sell
market Lithuanian alcohol market will rise for
about 35.5 ...
DELFI
11Best Practices
- Minimum legal purchase age
- Government monopoly of retail sales
- Restriction on hours or days of sale
- Outlet density restrictions
- Alcohol taxes
- Random Breath Testing
- Lowered BAC limits
- Administrative license suspension
- Graduated licensing for novice drivers
- Brief interventions for hazardous drinkers
Thomas F. Babor
12Least Effective Practices
- Public service messages
- Warning labels
- Designated drivers and ride services
- Voluntary codes of bar practice
- Promoting alcohol-free activities
- Alcohol education in schools
- College student education
Thomas F. Babor
13Main Principles of Alcohol Control Policy in the
Law on Alcohol Control 1995/2005
- to reduce availability of alcohol beverages
through taxation - to limit promotion of the sale and consumption of
alcoholic beverages - to prohibit the means of promotion of buying and
consumption of alcoholic beverages by youth - to encourage legal persons who are engaged in
alcohol business to join in implementing the
State alcohol control policy - to increase public awareness
14Main Principles of Alcohol Control Policy in the
Law on Alcohol Control 1995/2005
- to sponsor action programs of health and
temperance societies - to promote the production and sale of non
alcoholic beverages - to promote the creation of a social environment
free of alcohol - to promote scientific research and dissemination
of information - to strengthen the cooperation with other Member
States of the European Union and international
organizations regarding the issues of the
reduction of the consumption of alcohol.
15The Main Purpose and Strategy Related to Alcohol
Control Stated in Lithuanian Health Programme 1998
- Main target
- by the year 2010 to reduce alcohol consumption by
25 - To decrease annual alcohol production by 2
- To increase alcohol costs depending on the
overall economic situation - To increase proportion of people not using strong
alcoholic beverages - To provide treatment and rehabilitation for all
those suffering from drug and alcohol abuse - To develop a system for the quantitative
monitoring of alcohol use - To develop intersectoral collaboration in
fighting alcohol abuse - To develop and implement the State Program of
Alcohol Control.
16State Programme of Alcohol Control 1999 2011 as
Long Term Target
- Progressively decrease alcohol consumption by 25
until 2009 - Drop of mortality from cirrhosis by 15
- Decrease mortality from accidents related to
consumption of alcohol by 25 - Reduce number of crimes committed in connection
with alcohol - Reduce number of drunk drivers
- Implementation of alcohol prevention devoted
especially for youth.
17Real changes in situation
- Alcohol control law was changed 24 times
- Alcohol sales were allowed all 24 hours per day
- Sale was allowed in fuel stations, sanatoriums,
living houses - Limitation on time was canceled
- Prices of alcoholic beverages fell down by 0,4
while disposable cash income edged up by 21 - Advertisement control was taken from State
tobacco and alcohol control agency and given to
Consumers rights protection agency which has no
competence to do it - Alcohol production, import and sales are rising
every year - Lowered fines for failures to comply with the
requirements of Alcohol Control Law.
18- New initiatives
- To legalize alcohol sale via internet
- To legalize home made alcohol
- To close State tobacco and alcohol control
agency.
19Main mistakes (I)
- Criminal negligence in Alcohol control law
- to extend priority to (in first redaction of he
law to stimulate) production of alcoholic
beverages by natural fermentation and import and
sale thereof - at concerts, circus, discotheques, youth sport
and leisure time events, other mass events,
theatre presentations, movie and video film
demonstration locations, except for retail
outlets located at sites of such events. At mass
events (except for events intended for children
and adolescents of up to 18 years of age) the
name and (or) trade mark of the undertaking which
is sponsoring the event and is the producer and
seller of alcoholic beverages whose sales are
permitted at mass events, may also be displayed
provided that by their content and form they do
not contradict the requirements of legal acts - Other.
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21As result we have
- Few cases of teenagers alcoholic psychosis
- Many cases of teenagers drunk until status of
coma - On September 1st many children are drunk
- Teenagers do not treat beer and cider as alcohol.
22Main mistakes (II)
- Main role in alcohol control is playing Ministry
of Economy not a Ministry of Health - Alcohol is treated as simple product which
production should be stimulated - Recommendations of health specialists (National
Health Board, Universities) were not taken into
account - No evidence based regulations were used at all
- No leading institution responsible for
implementation of prevention programs - Until last year no active alcohol control NGOs.
23Lessons to be learned
- There is not enough to have good legislation and
program. There should be community movement
(NGOs) that will monitor how the law is
implemented and will prevent form changes in the
way of liberalization - Alcohol industry is not a partner, it is profit
industry that will newer allow measures that will
decrease incomes - Firstly evidence based measures should be used
- Children are most vulnerable group and measures
should be firstly related to protection of
children from alcohol marketing - Health, not economy, structures in the Government
and Parliament should be primarily responsible
for alcohol control - National and international movement of alcohol
control NGOs is crucial - Best practice from international tobacco control
should be used.
24Thank You