Alcohol Issues

REDEFINE ALCOHOL – THE GROUNDBREAKING WHO EUROPE CAMPAIGN

In this episode, we explore Redefine Alcohol - a groundbreaking new campaign launched by the World Health Organization in Europe. Together with Aleksandra Olsen of WHO Europe we’re telling a story that might change how you think about the role of alcohol in society. Stay tuned!

About the guest: Aleksandra Olsen is Communication Officer at WHO Europe. She is currently supporting the WHO-EU Evidence into Action Alcohol Project. In this role, Aleksandra works with communication planning and strategy, communications activities, social media, PR and media relations.

How World Cancer Research Fund International Wants to Galvanize Governments to Address Alcohol’s Direct Link to Cancer

How World Cancer Research Fund International Wants to Galvanize Governments to Address Alcohol’s Direct Link to Cancer 

Season 3, Episode 6

For the sixth episode in our third season we discuss how World Cancer Research Fund International wants to galvanize governments to address alcohol’s direct link to cancer.

In today’s episode, we explore the direct link between alcohol and cancer and what to do about it. Together with Kendra Chow from World Cancer Research Fund International (WCRFI) we’re telling a story that might change how you think about the role of alcohol policy in efforts to prevent and reduce cancer deaths. 

In this episode, host Maik Dünnbier speaks with Kendra about the brand new Alcohol and Cancer Risk policy position statement of the World Cancer Research Fund International. The position statement outlines recommendations for evidence-based alcohol policies to achieve two major things: reducing population-level alcohol consumption and increasing public awareness of the link between alcohol and cancer.

We discuss the reasons why WCRFI developed the policy position statement, the latest evidence on alcohol’s direct link to cancer, the policy recommendations, and the need for action. 

We talk about additional considerations in the context of alcohol and cancer, such as language, commercial determinants of health, alcohol industry interference, and no- and low-alcohol products. Kendra also shares personal anecdotes from her life about why cancer prevention interventions are so important, and why public awareness of the risks from health-harming products can impact health outcomes.

Our guest

Kendra Chow is the Policy and Public Affairs Manager with World Cancer Research Fund International.

She is a public health policy specialist and Registered Dietitian. She has a Master’s Degree in Public Health from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. She also has previous experience developing policy interventions for the prevention of non-communicable diseases as a public health dietitian. Kendra’s research experience centres on the commercial determinants of health, health inequities, and impacts of social media on health policy. 

Follow Kendra’s work on LinkedIn.

You can read all Kendra’s blogs here.

Resources for the episode 

WCRFI has made a number of resources available regarding the direct link between alcohol and cancer, and what to do about it:

• The brand new Alcohol and Cancer Risk policy position statement of the World Cancer Research Fund International
• WCRFI Global Cancer Update Programme.
• Alcohol and cancer – WCRFI’s new global policy priority.
• All blog posts about alcohol and cancer.
• Kendra’s blog posts on a range of topics about cancer prevention and research, including alcohol and commercial determinants of cancer.

Movendi International resources on alcohol and cancer science and policy action:

• 250+ resources article on all Alcohol Issues regarding cancer prevention and science.
• Global Voices blog portal with 20+ opinion articles, column, and essays about alcohol and cancer.
• 70+ science digest articles summarizing latest science on alcohol and cancer and the prevention potential of alcohol policy – including the Yukon study and other studies mentioned in the episode.
• Fact sheet about alcohol and cancer.
• How people can involved: the Be Loud For Change campaign.

Feedback

Your feedback, questions, and suggestions for future topics and guests is most welcome. Please get in touch at: maik.duennbier@movendi.ngo.

You are most welcome to follow Movendi International and Maik Dünnbier on LinkedIn, too.

The State of Alcohol Policy in the World: Discussing Key Findings of the WHO Global Alcohol Status Report 2024

The State of Alcohol Policy in the World: Discussing Key Findings of the WHO Global Alcohol Status Report 2024

Season 3, Episode 4

For the fifth episode in our third season we welcome back Dr. Maristela Monteiro. Together host Maik Dünnbier and Maristela talk about the state of alcohol policy in the world. Recently, the World Health Organization released the Global Alcohol Status Report 2024. And Maristela and Maik discuss the key findings of the report and talk about what it all means for alcohol policy advocacy.

Our guest

Maristela Monteiro is a world class expert in alcohol policy and science. She has worked at the World Health Organization headquarters between 1994 and 2003. And between 2003 and 2023, she was the senior advisor on alcohol at the Pan-American Health Organization. Since she retired from PAHO, Maristela is a freelance international specialist for example regarding alcohol policy advice and research on alcohol related topics.

Maristela has been involved in all the WHO Global Status Reports on alcohol, since the very first edition in 2001. All in all, in the 23 years since the first status report in 2001 and the most recent edition in 2024, there have only been 6 reports but Maristela lead on or contributed to all of them.

Follow Maristela on LinkedIn.

What we discussed

In this conversation, Maristela shares her key findings from the latest WHO Global Alcohol Status Report. So Maristela and Maik discuss the latest situation regarding alcohol consumption in the world. Maristela helps make sense of the figures and puts them into perspective – for example how big or small the reduction of alcohol use during the pandemic really was.

They also explore latest figures on alcohol harm and Maristela shares which findings stand out to her.

In the conversation, Maristela and Maik dive deeper into the report’s findings concerning the state of alcohol policy in the world. Maristela shares her insights on topics such as the alcohol policy best buys, alcohol taxation, and online retail and on-demand alcohol delivery. Where have we made progress and where not, and why – these are issues Maristela explores.

Maristela and Maik round this conversation off by looking into the future – as the report does, too. Countries are not on track to reach the alcohol-related global targets of the SDGs. What does that mean and what can be done about it? Maristela shares insightful analysis that is both empowering and inspiring to the alcohol policy and science community.

We recorded this conversation on July 1st, 2024 – a few days after WHO released the report in a public webinar.

Resources for the episode 

Global Alcohol Use Rising, Policy Goals out of Reach

Already in 2019, a landmark study published by the Lancet revealed that global alcohol consumption had increased over the past 3 decades. The study warned the world would fail to achieve the global targets to reduce alcohol use. Globally, alcohol intake increased from 5.9 litres pure alcohol a year per adult in 1990, to 6.5 litres in 2017, and is predicted to increase further to 7.6 litres by 2030.

Feedback

Your feedback, questions, and suggestions for future topics and guests is most welcome. Please get in touch at: maik.duennbier@movendi.ngo.

You are most welcome to follow Movendi International and Maik Dünnbier on LinkedIn, too.

 

Master Manipulators: Exposing Big Alcohol Lobbying in Scottish and British Parliaments

Master Manipulators: Exposing Big Alcohol Narratives and Spin at Alcohol Policy Evaluation Hearings in the Scottish and British Parliaments

Season 3, Episode 4

For the fourth episode in the third season of the Alcohol Issues Podcast we discuss the master manipulators. In two very recent Alcohol Policy Evaluation Hearings in both the Scottish and British Parliaments, alcohol industry participation drew widespread criticism and scrutiny.

In this episode, we reveal and discuss the lobbying narratives and spin of alcohol industry lobbyists on display in two separate parliamentary hearings.

Our guests

Jane Gordon, Policy and Public Affairs Officer at SHAAP, the Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems. Jane joined SHAAP in January 2022 as Policy and Public Affairs Officer. She is a graduate of the University of Edinburgh, where she completed her Master of Public Health Programme. Jane has a background in global health policy and advocacy, formerly focussing on nutrition policy in her role with World Obesity Federation. She has also previously worked for the NHS during pandemic relief efforts. 

Follow Jane on LinkedIn: Jane Gordon

And Prof. Mark Petticrew. Mark is Professor of Public Health Evaluation in the Department of Public Health, Environments and Society of the Faculty of Public Health and Policy, at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. He is the Director of the NIHR Public Health PRU with a focus on conducting public health research with a social determinants focus, delivered within four broad themes: Understanding what determines people’s physical and mental health, and health behaviours; identifying, developing and evaluating effective and cost effective PH interventions; generating evidence to inform strategies to reduce inequalities in health; and developing new theory and methods, and new ways to apply them to public health challenges.

Follow Mark on Twitter: @petticrewmark

What we discussed

Jane and Mark unpack what the hearings in Edinburgh and Westminster were about, why the alcohol industry was invited and why this is problematic.

Maik discusses with them the conflicts of interest at play and why it matters to identify and take conflicts of interest seriously.

Jane wrote a powerful blog post reflecting on her experience with the hearing in the Scottish parliament. In the blog post, she used the term “master manipulators”. Maik asks her what she means and Jane goes into more detail regarding a number of topics raised in the blog post.

Mark tweeted live from a cold bench in London Bridge Station as he followed the proceedings in the select committee of the British Parliament. In this viral tweet thread he exposed alcohol industry talking points, spin, myths, and lies. Maik asked about those for an in-depth conversation regarding alcohol industry narratives.

Jane and Mark also discuss the effects of this type of alcohol industry talking points, spin, and narratives.

And in this episode, Mark, Jane, and Maik talk about concrete ways to avoid that the alcohol industry is invited to similar parliamentary hearings in the future.

We recorded this conversation on February 13, 2024.

Feedback

Your feedback, questions, and suggestions for future topics and guests is most welcome. Please get in touch at: maik.duennbier@movendi.ngo.

You are most welcome to follow Movendi International and Maik Dünnbier on Twitter, too.

The State of the World’s Children: How can we provide support to children growing up in households with alcohol problems?

Seen with the eyes of our children, the world we live in has an alcohol problem.

 

In 2021, UNICEF released the flagship report entitled “The State of the World’s Children”. It explored the mental health of children, adolescents and caregivers. The report addressed alcohol as a risk factor for the mental health of children and young people. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), such as violence, abuse, neglect, household alcohol problems, are in turn linked to sexual risk taking, mental health issues, alcohol and other drug use problems and violence. Thus, perpetuating a vicious cycle. 

 

That children have to grow up in homes with alcohol problems is an invisible and silent but massive crisis - worldwide.

 

For this podcast conversation we have invited four guests to discuss how we can provide support to children growing up in households with alcohol problems.

 

Dr. Joanna Lai DrPH, MPH, MsED

Health Specialist

Maternal Newborn Adolescent Health Unit

Health Section, Programme Division

UNICEF NYHQ 

 

Kristina Sperkova, MPsy

International President, Movendi International,

President, Movendi SK

 

Mr.Winyoo Srisupachok

Social Innovation engineer

Project consultant,

The Cultivation of children for Positive Consciousness and protection from health risk factors (Alcohol, Tobacco, other Drugs etc.)

Stop Drink Network in Thailand

 

Mona Örjes

President,

Junis, social movement in Sweden for child rights and child health with a focus on protecting children who grow up in household with alcohol problem

 

We recorded this conversation as a livestreamed event on February 15, 2024, during the global awareness week for children of households with alcohol problems.

 

There is a pressing need for more action to increase recognition of and support for children of households with alcohol problems. 

 

Some community programs exists and some advocacy campaigns show promising results, along with growing attention to the magnitude and urgency of the problem.

 

In a timely event, Movendi International brings together experts in the fields of child rights and child health with community leaders working to protect children from adverse experiences due to parental alcohol use problems.

A Review of Alcohol Policy Highlights in 2023 and an Outlook for Alcohol Policy Trends in 2024

Alcohol Issues Past, Present, and Future: A Review of Alcohol Policy Highlights in 2023 and an Outlook for Alcohol Policy Trends in 2024

Season 3, Episode 2

For the second episode in our third season we discuss alcohol issues past, present, and future. Together with the President of Movendi International, Kristina Sperkova, we will review key alcohol policy highlights in 2023 and we will discuss the outlook for alcohol policy trends in 2024.

In the review of alcohol issues in the past year, Movendi International has identified 6 key stories. And in the conversation with Kristina we will discuss the highlights of those in detail, to identify common themes and synergies.

Host Maik Dünnbier will also ask Kristina about some of the successes of Movendi International in 2023 to get a flavor of how Movendi International is working and she will share her top three achievements. And we will talk about why those achievements matters in the bigger picture.

These two topics will bring us smoothly into the conversation about the future. Maik asks Kristina to share with us her analysis of what will matter in 2024 regarding alcohol issues, what the trends in the field of alcohol policy in the broadest sense are going to be this year. In Kristina’s analysis there are eight trends and we will go into more detail about  a few of them.

This is an insightful discussion that connected past and future in alcohol policy. Connecting the dots, seeing the bigger picture, charting new ways forward – Kristina provided this and helped gain new insights.

We recorded this conversation on February 11, 2024.

Our guest

Kristina Sperkova has dedicated more than half of her life to empowering people and communities to prevent and reduce alcohol harm and to unlock development and human potential that way.

She has a Master’s Degree in Psychology from Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia.

She is the International President of Movendi International, the largest global social movement for development through alcohol prevention. She is also the President of Movendi SK, in Slovakia.

Kristina is a member of the advisory group on NCDs to the WHO Director General.

• Follow Kristina on Twitter: @KristinSperkova
• Follow Kristina on LinkedIn: Kristina Sperkova

Questions we discussed

• Alcohol issues 2023 analysis: What were the big topics and alcohol issues highlights from 2023?
  • How and where did we see alcohol policy progress in 2023?
  • Why is Guidelines development a highlight?
• In this context what were some of the achievements of Movendi International in 2023?
  • Kristina mentions a few highlights and explains four in greater detail.
• Alcohol issues outlook for 2024: What will matter for alcohol policy in 2024?
  • Kristina addresses three priority topics and greater detail and why they will be important in 2024 and beyond.

Resources for the episode 

Movendi International: “The 6 Biggest Alcohol Issues Stories of 2023“

In the review of the biggest stories in 2023 Movendi International has identified six alcohol issues that were significant in the previous year:

1. Alcohol policy progress worldwide.
2. Alcohol taxation is becoming the priority it should be.
3. Alcohol warning labelling: people support it and some countries take the lead.
4. Guidelines (diet, nutrition, cancer prevention) on alcohol consumption keep improving worldwide.
5. Growing recognition of the direct link between alcohol and cancer.
6. The changing alcohol norm.

Movendi International: “The Alcohol Issues Newsletter – Special Edition 2023 Review“

Feedback

Your feedback, questions, and suggestions for future topics and guests is most welcome. Please get in touch at: maik.duennbier@movendi.ngo.

You are most welcome to follow Movendi International and Maik Dünnbier on Twitter, too.

About The Alcohol Issues Podcast

The Alcohol Issues Podcast is an original production by Movendi International. It’s a show about current alcohol issues of global importance. Through in-depth conversations with policy makers, community leaders and scientists, we explore alcohol policy issues, discuss landmark scientific studies, and expose the alcohol industry.

This podcast episode is part of Movendi International’s work to support an evidence-based approach to protecting more people from alcohol harm.

How communities advance cancer prevention through awareness and policy action on alcohol

How Communities Can Advance Cancer Prevention Through Awareness and Policy Action on Alcohol

Season 3, Episode 1

For the first episode in our third season we discuss an action agenda to address the link between alcohol and cancer: How can communities advance cancer prevention through awareness and policy action on alcohol.

Cancer due to alcohol affects millions of people every year but the alcohol industry still keeps people in the dark about the fact that their products cause 7 types of cancer.

In Movendi International, one of our biggest priorities is to help prevent cancer through alcohol policy. Last year we launched the Be Loud For Change campaign to empower and engage communities to advocate for change by raising awareness about alcohol and cancer and by promoting action from policy makers. In the first year, we’ve seen some inspiring progress.

For this podcast conversation we have invited four guests to discuss how the alcohol industry keeps people in the dark about alcohol and cancer and what we can do about it. And we explore insights and lessons from both science and community action in countries such as Sweden, Uganda, and Colombia to chart an ambitious way forward.

The Guests

Dr Nason Maani is a Lecturer in Inequalities and Global Health Policy at the University of Edinburgh’s Global Health Policy Unit. His research seeks to describe the mechanisms through which commercial actors affect health inequalities, knowledge and public discourse. He serves as an invited expert and technical consultant for the WHO global programme on economic and commercial determinants of health, and is the host of Money Power Health, a podcast series discussing the social and commercial forces that shape our health. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts, and a 2019-2020 Commonwealth Fund Harkness Fellow.

Dr Blanca Llorente is Research Director at Fundacion Anaas in Colombia. She is an Economist from the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, with decades of experience in teaching and research on topics related to economics, environment and health. She has also developed community interventions for the prevention of non-communicable diseases, including tobacco control and alcohol policy development.

Emil Juslin is the former head of the EU office of IOGT-NTO, the largest social movement for alcohol prevention in Sweden. Emil has deep experience in both alcohol policy advocacy, community engagement, and exposing and counter-acting alcohol industry interference in Swedish and EU policy-making processes.

Juliet Namukasa is the country director of LM International in Uganda and the chair of the Uganda Alcohol Policy Alliance. Juliet is also a member of the International Board of Movendi International. She has profound experience in poverty eradication work in Uganda, lifting up people and communities through advancing community-based and population-level policy solutions.

We recorded this conversation as a livestreamed event on February 2, 2024.

Questions we discussed

How does the alcohol industry keep people in the dark about alcohol and cancer?

• • Overall: what are some of the efforts of the alcohol industry to influence the public discourse in their favor; and to influence the framing of alcohol problems and possible solutions regarding alcohol harm?
  • How are alcohol industry organisations misleading the public about alcohol and cancer? What are the three main strategies you have identified?

Community action example #1: Sweden

• • How big is the cancer burden due to alcohol in Sweden? What is the level of awareness among the public healthcare professionals and politicians?
  • How does the campaign in Sweden work to raise awareness about alcohol and cancer?

Community action example #2: Uganda

• • Is cancer an issue of concern in Uganda?
  • How are you using the evidence about alcohol and cancer in your advocacy work and what is the response you receive?

Community action example #3: Colombia

• • How big is the cancer burden due to alcohol in Colombia? What is the level of awareness among the public healthcare professionals and politicians?
  • How are you working to change this and what is the progress you’ve made so far?

Resources for the episode 

The Commercial Determinants of Health. Nason Maani (ed.) et al. Chapter 6: “The Role of Commercial Influences in Public Understanding of Harms, Causes, and Solutions“

2017 Alcohol and Society Report: “Alcohol and Cancer“

Original paper: “How alcohol industry organisations mislead the public about alcohol and cancer“

Research article: “Manufacturing doubt: Assessing the effects of independent vs industry-sponsored messaging about the harms of fossil fuels, smoking, alcohol, and sugar sweetened beverages”

2023 Analysis: Growing recognition of the direct link between alcohol and cancer

The Lancet: “Denormalising alcohol industry activities in schools“

The Lancet: “Trends in alcohol-specific deaths in the UK and industry responses“

Feature paper: “Alcohol Industry CSR Organisations: What Can Their Twitter Activity Tell Us about Their Independence and Their Priorities? A Comparative Analysis “

Journal article: “Under the influence: system-level effects of alcohol industry-funded health information organizations”

The Swedish alcohol-cancer awareness campaign. Read more here.

More background information about alcohol and cancer in Uganda. Read more here.

In the Colombian context, there is a new code against cancer. Read more here.

Feedback

Your feedback, questions, and suggestions for future topics and guests is most welcome. Please get in touch at: maik.duennbier@movendi.ngo.

You are most welcome to follow Movendi International and Maik Dünnbier on Twitter, too.

About The Alcohol Issues Podcast

The Alcohol Issues Podcast is an original production by Movendi International. It’s a show about current alcohol issues of global importance. Through in-depth conversations with policy makers, community leaders and scientists, we explore alcohol policy issues, discuss landmark scientific studies, and expose the alcohol industry.

This podcast episode is part of Movendi International’s work to support an evidence-based approach to protecting more people from alcohol harm.

New Report – Even Small Amounts of Alcohol Can Be Harmful to Blood Pressure and Lead to Hypertension

The Alcohol Issues Podcast – Season 3 Episode 01

This podcast episode is part of Movendi International’s work to support an evidence-based approach to protecting more people from alcohol harm.

Two quotes from the report outline the importance, urgency, and potential of the subject of this podcast:

1. Especially alcohol as risk factor for hypertension has not yet been given the attention it deserves in policy, guidelines and clinical practice.
2. The role that alcohol consumption can play in the development of high blood pressure is not well understood by the general public, by healthcare providers or by health policymakers.

In this conversation Dr. Tim Naimi talks in-depth about alcohol and blood pressure – and what societies, law makers, health systems and people can do about it.

The conversation

The conversation covers a range of topics. Among others, Tim and Maik discuss questions, such as:

1. Why does the issue of blood pressure matter in the context of alcohol harm? Why did you and your colleagues decide to write a research report about the issue?
2. How does hypertension relate to heart disease in general? What is the global burden of hypertension? 
3. Why is it important to know about alcohol’s effect on blood pressure?
   • What is alcohol’s causal role in hypertension?
4. There is increasing scientific scepticism for the once widely held belief that low dose alcohol use can provide protection from cardiovascular diseases. Why is scepticism growing? What does the report add to this development?
5. In the report you talk about “untapped potential for improved clinical practices and broad-based population-wide alcohol policies to prevent ill-health and prolong life.” Why do clinical guidelines matter and how does the report recommend alcohol should be addressed at the population level?
   • Why does alcohol policy matter for heart disease prevention?

The guest: Dr. Timothy Naimi

Dr. Timothy Naimi is currently the Director at the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research, at the University of Victoria, BC, Canada.

He has worked as a physician for the U.S. Indian Health Service, and as a senior epidemiologist with the Alcohol Team at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and as professor in the Boston University Schools of Public Health and Medicine. His research interests include alcohol epidemiology, the health effects of substance use, and the impact of alcohol and cannabis policies. 

Tim is part of an international group of researchers that come together every year to dive deeply into a specific topic of alcohol research. They conduct extensive research to identify relevant published science on the selected topic. And then, the group reviews and summarizes the search results. This analysis is then published in a report. This year the report deals with alcohol and blood pressure and podcast host Maik Dünnbier has the chance to talk with Tim Naimi about the key findings, conclusions and what it all means.

Resources for the episode 

Movendi International has published more than 40 resources about the link between alcohol and heart disease, since 2015.

• Research report: Alcohol and Blood Pressure.
• Media Release: Even Small Amounts of Alcohol Can Be Harmful to Blood Pressure and the Heart
• The World Heart Federation (WHF) published a policy brief in early 2022 that showed the strong evidence base that no amount of alcohol is good for the heart.
• The Alcohol Issues Special Feature: “
• Alcohol and Heart Disease: “What we know about alcohol’s role in multiple heart conditions and risk factors for negative cardiovascular outcomes”
• Research report: Effects of low dose alcohol consumption.

Feedback

Your feedback, questions, and suggestions for future topics and guests is most welcome. Please get in touch at: maik.duennbier@movendi.ngo.

You are most welcome to follow Movendi International and Maik Dünnbier on Twitter, too.

Listen to the episode

Listen to season 3, episode 01 of the Alcohol Issues Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.

• You can find the brand new episode on Apple podcasts, here. 
• You can also listen to the latest episode on Spotify. 
• And you can find episode 08 on Google Podcasts.
• And you can follow the Alcohol Issues Podcast on Podbean, here.

About The Alcohol Issues Podcast

The Alcohol Issues Podcast is an original production by Movendi International. It’s a show about current alcohol issues of global importance. Through in-depth conversations with policy makers, community leaders and scientists, we explore alcohol policy issues, discuss landmark scientific studies, and expose the alcohol industry.

Achieving the SDGs Through Alcohol Policy: European Countries Ignore The Potential

Achieving the SDGs Through Alcohol Policy: European Countries Ignore The Potential

The Alcohol Issues Podcast – Season 2 Episode 09

Flawed understanding of alcohol harm leads to lost potential in using alcohol policy as catalyst for sustainable development.

Alcohol is, for example, a driver of poverty and hunger (SDG 1 and 2). The products and practices of the alcohol industry cause a significant and increasing global disease burden (SDG 3). Alcohol is a risk factor for violence (SDG 5 and 16), and it contributes to inequalities (SDG 5 and 10). The harm caused by alcohol companies undermines economic productivity and hinders economic growth (SDG 8), disrupts sustainable consumption (SDG 12) and adversely impacts the environment (SDG 6, 13 and 15). 

But these effects are not considered by European countries in the design of measures to achieve these sustainable development goals. Effective alcohol policy solutions, the so called three best buys, are largely missing from transformative action that the Agenda 2030 calls for and that governments committed to.

In this show guest host Pierre Andersson talks with Kristina Sperkova about her freshly published peer-reviewed research article that examines how European countries address alcohol as obstacle to development.

In their conversation, they discuss alcohol policy issues beyond the WHO Global Alcohol Action Plan to enhance the understanding of alcohol policy not only as public health priority but also as human rights priority – and the potential of such an approach.

S2 E9 Topic: New Study Illustrates Failure of European Countries to Address Alcohol as Obstacle to Sustainable Development

Alcohol is, for example, a driver of poverty and hunger (SDG 1 and 2). The products and practices of the alcohol industry cause a significant and increasing global disease burden (SDG 3). Alcohol is a risk factor for violence (SDG 5 and 16), and it contributes to inequalities (SDG 5 and 10). The harm caused by alcohol companies undermines economic productivity and hinders economic growth (SDG 8), disrupts sustainable consumption (SDG 12) and adversely impacts the environment (SDG 6, 13 and 15). 

 

But these effects are not considered by European countries in the design of measures to achieve these sustainable development goals. Effective alcohol policy solutions, the so called three best buys, are largely missing from transformative action that the Agenda 2030 calls for and that governments committed to.

A brand-new study provides ground-breaking analysis showing that most European countries fail to address alcohol as obstacle to multiple other Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) than health in the design of measures to make progress towards the SDGs. To make matters worse, inaccurate language related to alcohol harm indicates gaps in understanding of the extent of the alcohol burden and the consequences for sustainable development. 
This first-of-its-kind study, published in the peer reviewed journal PLOS ONE, spotlights the need to improve countries’ recognition of alcohol harm as cross-cutting impediment to 14 of 17 SDGs and countries’ capacity to utilize alcohol policy solutions as catalyst for sustainable development.

The guest host and the guest expert

This episode is guest hosted Pierre Andersson. He talks with Kristina Sperkova about her brand new study about the uptake of alcohol policy as catalyst for sustainable development in European countries.

Pierre Andersson is the Policy Advisor Alcohol and Development at the IOGT-NTO Movement, from Sweden. The IOGT-NTO Movement is a Swedish development organization that works for poverty eradication by supporting partners to tackle alcohol as obstacle to development. Pierre has extensive experience is journalism as well as development work.

• Follow Pierre on Twitter: @pierrea
• Follow Pierre on LinkedIn: Pierre Andersson

Kristina Sperkova is the International President at Movendi International. She is the lead author of the peer-reviewed research article “Alcohol policy measures are an ignored catalyst for achievement of the sustainable development goals” that she co-authored with Peter Anderson, Eva Jané Llopis.

• Follow Kristina on Twitter: @KristinSperkova
• Follow Kristina on LinkedIn: Kristina Sperkova

Resources for the episode 

• The Use of Alcohol Policy to Reach the Sustainable Development Goals in European Countries
• WHO Europe: New Factsheet Illustrates How Alcohol Impedes Sustainable Development in the Region
• UN Statistical Commission Refines SDG Alcohol Indicator
• Obstacle To Development

Feedback

Your feedback, questions, and suggestions for future topics and guests is most welcome. Please get in touch at: maik.duennbier@movendi.ngo.

You are most welcome to follow Movendi International and Maik Dünnbier on Twitter, too.

 

A Human Rights Based Approach to Alcohol Policy: the WHO Global Alcohol Action Plan and Beyond

A Human Rights Based Approach to Alcohol Policy: the WHO Global Alcohol Action Plan and Beyond

The Alcohol Issues Podcast – Season 2 Episode 08

Lost opportunity or new momentum or both?

In the end of May, the 75^th World Health Assembly will discuss and adopt the WHO Global Alcohol Action Plan. It is meant to help accelerate action on alcohol policy development after a lost decade when no progress was made.

But is the new action plan up to the task or is it a lost opportunity for accelerating action on alcohol as public health priority? 

In this show host Maik Dünnbier talks with Prof. Amandine Garde about the human rights law perspective on the global alcohol action plan. 

In their conversation, they discuss alcohol policy issues beyond the WHO Global Alcohol Action Plan to enhance the understanding of alcohol policy not only as public health priority but also as human rights priority – and the potential of such an approach.

S2 E8 Topic: Improving the global alcohol policy response with a Human Rights based approach

In this conversation, Amandine shares her analysis of the strengths and gaps of the draft WHO Global Alcohol Plan. Maik and Amandine discuss the potential of a human rights based approach to improving the global and regional alcohol policy response. They talk about alcohol issues, such as labelling, trade, taxation, and the harm caused by the products and practices of the alcohol industry – from a human rights law perspective. And they dive into why and how governments should act collectively to protect people from alcohol harm.

 

The discussion goes into depth regarding the following questions:

1. What does a Human Rights based perspective of the WHO Global Alcohol Action Plan find?
2. What is a rights-based approach to alcohol policy development and what is its potential?
3. What can countries do collectively to advance alcohol policy development, regarding the many cross-border alcohol issues, such as taxation, marketing, labeling, the emergence of online trade and on-demand delivery?
4. What is the potential of a global binding instrument for alcohol control?

The guest

Amandine Garde is a Professor of Law at the University of Liverpool. She has developed a specific research expertise on the role of law in the prevention of non-communicable diseases and is Founding Director of the Law & NCD Research Unit, which regularly advises international organisations, NGOs, public health agencies and governments worldwide.

• Follow Amandine on Twitter: @AmandineGarde

Resources for the episode 

140+ scientific articles about alcohol harm and human rights, from Movendi International’s Science Digest.

700+ news stories about alcohol policy development and human rights, from Movendi International’s News Center.

The UNICEF report, April 2018: “A CHILD RIGHTS-BASED APPROACH TO FOOD MARKETING: A GUIDE FOR POLICY MAKERS“

Prof. Garde’s publications on NCDs (including alcohol) and human rights, relevant recent studies:

1. On the rocks? A few sobering thoughts on the growing EU alcohol problem
   • Garde, A., & Bartlett, O. (2017). On the rocks? A few sobering thoughts on the growing EU alcohol problem. In T. Hervey, C. Young, & L. Bishop (Eds.), Research Handbook on EU Health Law and Policy. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar. doi:10.4337/9781785364723.00029 DOI: 10.4337/9781785364723.00029
2. Regulating Lifestyle Risks: The EU, Tobacco, Alcohol and Unhealthy Diets (Book)
   • Alemanno, A., & Garde, A. (Eds.) (2015). Regulating Lifestyle Risks: The EU, Tobacco, Alcohol and Unhealthy Diets. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. doi:10.1017/CBO9781107478114 DOI: 10.1017/CBO9781107478114
3. Combatting obesogenic commercial practices through the implementation of the best interests of the child principle(Chapter)
   • Garde, A., Byrne, S., & Byrne, S. (2020). Combatting obesogenic commercial practices through the implementation of the best interests of the child principle. In Ending Childhood Obesity – A Challenge at the Crossroads of International Economic and Human Rights Law (pp. 251-281). Edward Elgar.
4. Digital food marketing to children: Exploitation, surveillance and rights violations (Journal article)
   1. Tatlow-Golden, M., & Garde, A. (2020). Digital food marketing to children: Exploitation, surveillance and rights violations. Global Food Security. doi:10.1016/j.gfs.2020.100423 DOI: 10.1016/j.gfs.2020.100423
5. Harmful Commercial Marketing and Children’s Rights: For a Better Use of EU Powers (Journal article)
   1. GARDE, A. (2020). Harmful Commercial Marketing and Children’s Rights: For a Better Use of EU Powers. European Journal of Risk Regulation, 11(4), 841-850. doi:10.1017/err.2020.83 DOI: 10.1017/err.2020.83
6. International Investment Law and Non-Communicable Diseases Prevention (Journal article)
   1. Garde, A., & Zrilic, J. (2020). International Investment Law and Non-Communicable Diseases Prevention. The Journal of World Investment & Trade, 21(5), 649-673. doi:10.1163/22119000-12340190 DOI: 10.1163/22119000-12340190

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