PHM-Exch> WHO to tackle alcohol misuse, binge drinking

[Claudio Schuftan]

From: vern weitzel vern.weitzel at gmail.com



 http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/LDE64J0LN.htm
WHO to tackle alcohol misuse, binge drinking
20 May 2010 16:24:52 GMT
Source: Reuters
* Health ministers adopt global strategy at WHO meeting * Recommend higher
taxes and marketing regulations

* Alcohol producers say they'll help curb harmful misuse

(Adds statements by SABMiller, medical alliance)

By Stephanie Nebehay

GENEVA, May 20 (Reuters) - Health ministers agreed on Thursday to try to
curb binge drinking and other growing forms of excessive alcohol use through
higher taxes on alcoholic drinks and tighter marketing regulations.

The global strategy to reduce the harmful use of alcohol was adopted by
consensus at the annual assembly of the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Its 10 main policy recommendations, drawn up after two years of negotiation,
are not binding but serve as guidance to WHO's 193 member states.

"Alcohol contributes to accidents, mental health problems, social problems
and harms third parties," said Bernt Bull, a senior advisor in Norway's
health ministry. Nordic countries, many of which already have tight
restrictions on alcohol sales, spearheaded the initiative at the United
Nations agency.

A relatively high excise tax on alcoholic beverages and regulations limiting
their availability was helping to reduce alcohol-related diseases in Norway,
he said.

The WHO estimates that risks linked to alcohol cause 2.5 million deaths a
year from heart and liver disease, road accidents, suicides and various
cancers -- 3.8 percent of all deaths. It is the third leading risk factor
for premature deaths and disabilities worldwide.

"Alcohol is usually not perceived as a killer, though it is," Shekhar
Saxena, director of WHO's department of mental health and substance abuse,
told a news briefing.

Despite growing abuse and youth drinking at an earlier age in many
countries, half of WHO members do not have a national alcohol policy,
according to WHO expert Vladimir Poznyak.

"The biggest changes might happen in those countries which have no alcohol
control institutions or regulatory framework for alcohol consumption," he
told reporters.

SELF-REGULATION

The Global Alcohol Producers Group noted the strategy recognised the
importance of self-regulation by industry in helping to address alcohol
abuse.

Its members recognised "the harmful effects of irresponsible drinking
patterns" and would continue efforts to promote self-regulation of
advertising as well as curbs on drink driving and illegal underage and
excessive drinking, a statement said.

Britain's Diageo <DGE.L>, the world's largest alcoholic drinks group, and
Anheuser-Busch InBev <ABI.BR <http://abi.br/>>, the world's largest brewer
and maker of Budweiser, are among its members.

In a separate statement, brewing giant SABMiller <SAB.L> gave a cautious
welcome to the plan, but warned:

"SABMiller is unconvinced there is sufficient evidence to support policy
options such as minimum pricing and high excise taxes that may result in
unintended, negative public health consequences which stem from the growth
of the illicit alcohol market."

The WTO strategy document says the harmful use of alcohol has a serious
effect on public health and is one of the main risk factors for poor health
globally.

There is strong evidence that a low limit for blood alcohol concentration
(0.02 to 0.05 percent) is effective in reducing drink-driving casualties, it
says.

It underlined the importance of a legal framework for restricting the sale
and serving of alcohol, a minimum age for buying drinks and "mandated health
warnings" on alcohol labels.

Setting a minimum price per unit gram of alcohol has been shown to reduce
consumption and alcohol-related harm, it said.

But overly tight restrictions on alcohol availability may promote the
development of a parallel illicit market, it warned.

The Global Alcohol Policy Alliance -- a coalition of medical professionals,
researchers and non-governmental organisations -- welcomed the WHO decision
as historic and "long overdue".

"The strategy highlights the effectiveness of focusing on policies regarding
pricing, availability and marketing of alcohol," it said in statement.
(Editing by Jonathan Lynn and Mark Heinrich)
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