Kingdom Breweries Ltd have announced they will set up a new brewery to target the Cambodian market where sales are expected to continue a 20% per annum increase.
Dr Nipon Poapongsakorn, president of Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI), hopes the excise-tax system could be used more effectively to reduce consumption of alcoholic beverages in Thailand.
The Law Commission has just released a report looking at a major review of the Sale of Liquor law in New Zeland. The report is now open for public consultation. Links to the report and a discussion page are included in this article.
Viet Nam alcohol harm meeting
Lethal drinking by young men part of 'culture'.
Alcohol industry subtle indoctrination of population into thinking low alcohol beer is 5% ABV.
India's ASSOCHAM Social Development Foundation survey shows that alcohol intake for youths staying in college hostels has increased 60% over the years.
Alcohol sales in the Tamil Nadu state have increased 61% from 2004 to 2008.
Continuing protest over share listing in Bangkok
"The New South Wales Government says this week will see a number of pubs and clubs across the state face new restrictions on the service of alcohol."
A report published by the Australian Department of Health and Ageing, says higher taxes could save $2.2 billion to $2.8 billion in costs related to alcohol abuse.
"The report contradicts The Lancet medical journal, which last month said the tax hike would do little to stop binge-drinking by young people, as they would simply switch drinks."
The maker of leading alcopop brands such as Vodka Cruiser and Pulse has found a way around the tax on premixed drinks: using alcohol derived from lower-taxed beer to attract younger drinkers back to the sweet stuff.
"A can of pre-mixed bourbon costs the same as a soft drink in many parts of south Auckland. In total Manukau City has 502 liquor licences for a population of nearly 329,000 people _ one for every 655 people."
The Cook Islands government will raise new revenue in two areas - the tax on soft drinks that contain added sugar will go up 20 per cent and there will be a rise in the tax on cigarettes and alcohol.
"Solomon Islands police have arrested eight people and seized hundreds of litres of illegal alcohol, in raids across the capital Honiara."
The Australian government will review teh proposed uniform alcohol tax.
New South Wales Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione has suggested a reduction in taxes on drinks with less alcohol in order to reduce alcohol related crime. This suggestion has been praised by the Australian National Council on Drugs.
India has proposed at the World Health Assembly in Geneva that October 2 be declared 'World No Alcohol Day'. October 2 is Mahatma Ghandi's birthday
Tesco is refusing to sell alcohol to parents shopping with their children under rules designed to tackle underage drinking.
Two major liquor companies say they will have their highest-alcohol ready-to-drink beverages off liquor store shelves by the end of the year.
From June 1, the drinking from, and carrying of, open containers of alcohol will be prohibited on London Underground, London buses, Docklands Light Railway and tram services. It is part of Mr Johnson's wider strategy to tackle anti-social behaviour.
A supermarket chain is about to test New Zealand's liquor licensing laws and could become the first to sell spirits as well as wine and beer.
The Australian govenrment is proposing a 300% increase on beer and wine tax.
Australian governement indreased taxes on mixed-drinks by 70% without warning at midnight last night.
Lion Nathan has called for a study on the health benefits of drinking before moves to legislate health warnings on alcohol labels.
The Irish government is proposing new legislation in the form of Intoxicating Liquor/Public Order Bill 2008 to address the problems arising from excessive consumption of alcohol. It will restrict alcohol sales in convenience stores and supermarkets and give authorities new powers to seize alcohol from underage drinkers.
The Irish Government has agreed to accept the strengthened Codes on Advertising and Sponsorship negotiated between the Department of Health and Children, representatives from the Irish Alcohol Industry and representatives from the Irish Advertising Industry. The Codes aim to reduce the exposure of young people to alcohol advertising and marketing. The revised Codes will further limit the volume and placement of alcohol advertisements across all media in Ireland.
The Finnish government has proposed alcohol tax increases of up to 15 percent. This is because of reports that alcohol has become the leading killer of the adult population.
Britain’s new Prime Minister Gordon Brown is to review its 24 hour licensing laws which critics claim have led to an increase in binge drinking. He explained yesterday that he is preparing to look at evidence on the impacts of the relaxation of the licensing laws which was introduced in November 2005. (Source: BBC Online).
For example, it may have trebled alcohol-related admissions to Accident and Emergency departments in inner city areas at night. A study at London's St Thomas Hospital compared overnight visits before and after the 2005 law change. There were 80 alcohol related visits in March 2005, but 250 in 2006. The researchers believe their study is representative of the problems in inner city areas across the country. (Sources: The Times; Emergency Medicine Journal)"
The town of Alice Springs in Australia's Northern Territory has become a dry zone, with drinking banned in all public places.
Drinking in all public places will be punishable by large fines. Liquor permits will only be available for special events on public lands.
This prohibition pre-empts a move by the federal government, which plans to ban the sale, consumption and possession of alcohol on Aboriginal lands, and to grant the police new powers to search vehicles suspected of being involved in grog running.
Residents of Alice Springs are concerned that these new measures will shift the problem drinkers into their town - hence the move to declare themselves dry.
Tories call for 10% rise in tax on alcohol.
Conversative Party Tory report will this week calls for the tax on alcohol to be raised by as much as 10 per cent to fund treatment for abuse. The long-awaited report of the social justice policy group, chaired by Iain Duncan Smith, the former Conservative Party leader, will recommend doubling the £400 million currently spent on the treatment of drug and alcohol problems. The cost should be met by a "treatment tax" on wine, beer and spirits.
'Raise alcohol tax to aid health', 1.02.07
Tax on alcohol should be increased in order to protect public health, a leading medical expert has said. Professor Ian Gilmore, president of the Royal College of Physicians, said higher taxes were particularly needed on strong cider, other high strength drinks aimed at young people such as alcopops. But he warned the alcohol industry operated a powerful lobby which argued against future tax hikes. Speaking at the Promoting Responsible Drinking conference in London, Prof Gilmore said: "We should try to return the cost of alcoholic beverages in real terms to what they were 20 years ago over a period of time. I think there should be a gradual look at returning it in real terms through the annual budgetary process."
He said VAT on cider with an alcohol content of up to 7.5% was currently too low. "It makes a very significant difference to the cost of cider. It is white cider that is being sold very cheaply - it is the cheapest way of getting drunk. "It is youngsters and people with alcohol-related problems who go for the cider."
Prof Gilmore said the issue of raising taxes on alcohol was an "uncomfortable" one for the Government. "The Government is anxious about the nanny state, but I think the harm done by alcohol is such that nannying would be in order," he added.
The jury was still out on the impact of the year-old 24 hour licensing laws on health, he said, and controlling the price, advertising and availability of alcohol were the key methods of tackling alcohol abuse. New licensing laws came into force in November 2005, permitting round-the-clock alcohol sales in England and Wales. Around 3,000 premises - of which a quarter are supermarkets - have since gained licences to serve 24 hours
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
In June 2007 the California Assembly passed an Alcopops Warning Label Bill (AB 346) to require alcopops to carry the warning label ‘Attention: Contains Alcohol’. These pre-mixed spirits drinks are now sold wherever beer is sold, including over 15,000 convenience stores, mini-marts and gas stations throughout California which may not sell full strength spirits . Alcopop brands contain 5%-8% alcohol and their sweet taste makes them popular with underage drinkers. Many are packaged and labeled similarly to nonalcoholic beverages like energy drinks, sodas and fruit drinks. The law now goes to the state Senate for approval. Source: Marin Institute
Carlsberg's joint venture South Asia Breweries accelerates brewing in India. With the acquisition of an existing brewery in Himachal Pradesh state, north of New Delhi. This brewery has a capacity of 150,000 hl with possibilities for significant expansion. Construction of a new 450,000 hl brewery in Rajasthan south west of Delhi will be completed in 2008. Since 2003, Carlsberg has also been a leading brewer in China.
A group of 29 state attorneys general is calling on Anheuser-Busch to change the youth-friendly packaging and marketing of its Spykes caffeine-infused alcohol drinks as well as warning consumers about the dangers of mixing alcohol and energy drinks -- singling out the company's TILT and Bud Extra products for criticism.
For a full article on this, see Join Together News Feature by Bob Curley, May 11, 2007
Finnish parliamentary parties were unanimous in calling for an increase in alcohol duties to curb the rise in the incidence of health and social problems seen to have been caused by the March 2004 alcohol tax cut.
The Australian National Drug Rresearch Institute has found that the deaths of 1145 Indigenous Australians between 2000 and 2004 were alcohol related. The cause of death for more than half was alcoholic liver cirrhosis or suicide, and the average age of death from an alcohol-attributable cause was about 35.
The new Dutch cabinet proposes to ban alcohol advertising on radio and tv before 21.00 p.m.
Establishing a regulatory system like this is an historical step for the Netherlands, which has been entirely self-regulating thus far.
Vietnam’s Health Strategy and Policy Institute under the Health Ministry has introduced a draft bill to set the age for consumption and purchase of wine and beer at 18 years, and the minimum age for purchase of beverages above 14% alcohol concentration at 25 years.
A complete ban on public advertising of all beverages above 4.5% alcohol concentration has also been proposed. Currently, only wine is banned from public advertising in Vietnam.
Source: Thanhnien News
"The WHO and the Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth) agreed yesterday to investigate ways to reduce alcohol abuse and associated health problems."
There will be an assessment of existing measures and policies and the results of the collaboration will help developing nations address alcohol-related social issues.
Source: The Nation
Thailand anti-alcohol groups yesterday marched to urge the Council of State to enforce the proposed ban on alcohol advertising within a month.
Members of the Stop Drinking Network, Youth Network, Religious Network and Network of Tuk Tuk Drivers marched to Victory Monument to support the Alcohol Control Bill.
The ban on alcohol advertising that was initiated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was initially scheduled to take effect yesterday. However, it was postponed for 30 days pending a review by the Council of State into its ruling that the ban was invalid.
The bill was last week approved in principle by the Cabinet but was recommended to have amendments made before being forwarded to the Council of State and the National Legislative Assembly for deliberation.
The network will demonstrate further if the ban has not been enforced within a month.
Source: The Nation
The Thailand Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-initiated ban on alcohol advertising will be delyaed for 30 days pending a review by the Council of State into its ruling that the ban is invalid. The ban was initially scheduled to take effect from December 3 onward.
Source: The Nation.
The European Court of Justice ruled that VAT can be avoided on drinks and tobacco purchased abroad only if the items are physically brought back by the individual purchaser.
The European Union (EU) is lodging a complaint with the World Trade Organisation (WTO) over India's import duties for spirits and wines.
India imposes additional duties on top of already high federal basic customs duties of 150 percent for spirits and 100 percent for wines.
The EU claims these are trade barriers that break global trade rules.
The American Public Health Association (APHA) have passed a new policy to support an international Framework Convention on Alcohol Control modeled after the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. The Association believes that an international treaty could thwart the expansion of alcohol markets and strengthen national and local regulation of alcohol.
In summary, APHA:
1. Calls on the World Health Organization to adopt and implement a binding international treaty, a Framework Convention on Alcohol Control, modeled after the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control;
2. Urges national public health organizations and other non-governmental organizations to support development of a Framework Convention on Alcohol Control; and
3. Solicits the U.S. government to support consideration of and planning for such Convention.”
The final, marked up draft version of the American Public Health Association Statement: "A Call for a Framework Convention on Alcohol Control" is available in the Key Policy Documents of this website.
The South African Human Rights Commission is considering the claim that a basic human right is being infringed by the absence of warning labels on alcohol.
The Commission considers alcohol abuse to be such a serious social problem that it clearly has human rights implications. Although the Commission recognises research that indicates that so-called ‘health warnings’ on packaging do not seem to have a deterrent effect, they plan to investigate the issue further.
European alcohol and cigarettes in UK may soon be made duty free, if bought over the Internetor phone.
The EU Court of Justice is considering whether goods from EU countries can be delivered to British homes free of UK duty. The Court is expected to announce its decision on November 23.
This could result in large price cuts in alcohol and cigarettes as Britain has one of the highest excise rates in Europe.
The NZ government voted against a Private Member's Bill to raise the minimum drinking age from 18 years to 20 years.
The bill was defeated 72 to 49.
"Election Day 2006 resulted in more than a few changes to the political landscape, but the need for state-based regulation in the sale and distribution of alcohol remains strong. In numerous areas throughout the country, voters were presented with ballot questions regarding alcohol regulation. The outcomes of the proposals varied from locality to locality, showing that people feel very differently about alcohol from one place to the next and thus confirming the need for effective state-based control."
Source: NBWA
In July this year, the Pacific Drug and Alcohol Research Network (PDARN) held a workshop in Lautoka, Fiji. The report from this workshop is now available for download from the Meeting Reports page. The report from this workshop includes the resolutions agreed upon by the group.
Two presentations from the Bangkok Alcohol Policy Conference have been added to the Meeting Reports page.
The first is Dr Rekve's Presentation on the 2005 WHA Resolution on Alcohol and the second is Mr Munodawafa's resentation giving an overview of the South-EastAsia Region Alcohol Consumption Control Policy Options .
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