1. The Health, Social and
Economic Impact of Alcohol Riga, 19 October 2005

2. Structure of presentation
Is the European Commission serious about alcohol policy?
Is alcohol good for the economy?
Is drinking different across Europe?

3. Structure of presentation
Is the European Commission serious about alcohol policy?
Is alcohol good for the economy?
Is drinking different across Europe?

4. The Alcohol Economy Alcohol’s economic role Goods account balance €9bn
Tax revenue (€24bn in EU15)
Employment:
Industry say up to 3½ m jobs in EU15

5. The Alcohol Economy
But… tax not dependent on consumption

6. The Alcohol Economy …and jobs not dependent on consumption
Employment in the Hotels, Restaurants and Catering sector in Austria

7. The Alcohol Economy
Total tangible costs – €135bn

8. Structure of presentation
Is the European Commission serious about alcohol policy?
Is alcohol good for the economy?
Is drinking different across Europe?

9. Use of alcohol
Relative dispersion of EU consumption

10. Binge drinking, men at least six portions per one occasion%

11. Binge drinking, women at least six portions per one occasion%

12. Consumption (L per adult)
Use of alcohol
Consumption-per-drinker:
Much less variation
EU range still L
Very high levels overall:
5 countries > 20 L
Average 15 L
Consumption (L per adult)
Less than 14
14 to 15
15 to 18½
More than 18½

13. Use of alcohol
Trends in binge- drinking in year old male students,
5+ drinks on a single occasion 3+ times in last 4 weeks

14. Structure of presentation
Is alcohol important for social well-being and health
Is alcohol an important European public health issue?
Is it better to drink like southern Europeans?

15. Alcohol and individuals
Choosing different policy options
Cost of implementing same policy options per 100 people per year (€) in sub-region A of EU25; Adapted from Chisholm et al 2004

16. Structure of presentation
Is alcohol important for social well-being and health
Is alcohol an important European public health issue?
Is it better to drink like southern Europeans?

17. Alcohol and Europe

18. Alcohol and Europe Each year, alcohol causes:
17,000 road traffic accidents
27,000 accidental deaths
2,000 murders
10,000 suicides
50,000 cancer deaths, of which
11,000 female breast cancer deaths
17,000 psychiatric deaths
45,000 deaths from liver cirrhosis

19. The geographical relationship between alcohol consumption and cirrhosis mortality

20. Structure of presentation
Is alcohol important for social well-being and health
Is alcohol an important European public health issue?
Is it better to drink like southern Europeans?

21. Alcohol consumption and cirrhosis rates in southern
Alcohol and southern Europe
Alcohol consumption and cirrhosis rates in southern

22. Alcohol and southern Europe
Alcohol and violence in EU15 countries
Alcohol consumption
(litres per capita)

23. Structure of presentation
Is alcohol policy effective?
Is there a role for the alcohol industry?
Is alcohol policy very different across Europe?

24. Alcohol policy Education and Persuasion Pricing and Taxation
Regulating Physical Availability
Regulating Alcohol Promotion
Drinking-Driving Countermeasures
Treatment and Early Intervention

25. Alcohol policy Choosing different policy options
Impact of different policy options in preventing DALYs per million people per year

26. Alcohol policy Choosing different policy options
Cost of implementing same policy options per 100 people per year (€)

27. Alcohol policy 10% in price: consumption 2% to 8% 9,000 deaths
€3 billion in revenue

28. Alcohol policy
Alcopops in Switzerland

29. Breadth of Research Support
Effectiveness
Breadth of Research Support
Cost Efficiency
Lowered BAC levels
+++
Random breath testing (RBT) ++ +
License suspension
Graduated licensing
Low BAC for youth
Server training
Designated drivers and ride services O

30. Alcohol policy Education programmes in young people Follow-up:
Partially effective
Ineffective
“Negative”
effect
Short-term
(1 year or less) 14 23 3
Medium-term
(1-3 years) 13 19 2
Long-term
(over 3 years) 6

31. Structure of presentation
Is alcohol policy effective?
Is there a role for the alcohol industry?
Is alcohol policy very different across Europe?

32. Alcohol industry

33. Structure of presentation
Is alcohol policy effective?
Is there a role for the alcohol industry?
Is alcohol policy very different across Europe?

34. Alcohol policy in Europe
Tax levels
Average effective tax adjusting for purchasing power
PP € <400
PP € 400 – 1000
PP € > 1000

35. Alcohol policy in Europe
Legal purchase age of 18
17, or 16 (B) and 18 (S) 16
Legal purchase age of 18 20 16
None
On-premise
Norway has a LPA of 20 for spirits (Iceland has 20 for all drinks)
Off-premise
Denmark and Finland are 20 for spirits; several countries move to 18 (inc. Belgium, from none)
Buying any drink from bars
Buying beer from shops

36. Alcohol policy in Europe
Complete ad ban
Legal restriction (not just content)
Voluntary agreements
Nothing
TV advertising
Stronger for spirits, esp. in EU10
Stronger than for other media, such as billboards, print, sponsorship etc.
Beer advertising on television

37. Alcohol policy in Europe
Variation in alcohol policy…
Policy score
Score (0-20) showing strength of alcohol policy
< 9
9 – 12
> 12

38. Alcohol policy
Education programmes in young people

39. Alcohol industry