Landmark Study Gives Canadian Government Failing Grades In Alcohol Policies

Landmark Study Gives Canadian Government Failing Grades In Alcohol Policies

The topic of today’s episode is the CAPE – the Canadian Alcohol Policy Evaluation.

The CAPE is a world class scientific approach to assessing how Canada’s national and provincial governments are doing in alcohol policy making. The robust, regular, comprehensive evaluation combined with the infrastructure around it and public relations work linked to it make for an inspiring model for countries around the world.

To discuss all this in depth, Elizabeth Farkouh joins today’s show. She is the lead author of the study published in May 2024 about their assessment of federal alcohol policies in Canada and priority recommendations.

Elizabeth and host Maik Dünnbier had a great conversation with many insights from her different experiences and with many lessons for alcohol policy not just for Canada but worldwide.

Highlights of the show

In today’s show, Maik speaks with Elizabeth about the heavy alcohol burden in Canada and the country’s policy response. She shares mind blowing – in the concerning kind of way – facts about the magnitude of alcohol harm. In the face of  this massive alcohol burden, the CAPE’s results and grades for the Canadian government are truly shocking.

Elizabeth explains the grades and in the conversation, Maik and Elizabeth dive into the details of key policy recommendations, focusing on the alcohol policy best buys.

They also talk about comparability of the CAPE to other countries and the potential of applying this type of alcohol policy evaluation in other countries.

And they explore how the scientific exercise of assessing policy implementation – or complete lack thereof – can be linked to advocacy and community action for change. Elizabeth shares an inspiring best practice from Canada’s experience.

Our guest

Elizabeth Farkouh is a research assistant at the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research.

She has conducted international work related to alcohol use including a review on the effect of alcohol policies on suicide, an educational curriculum on alcohol and cancer for middle school students, and the Canadian Alcohol Policy Evaluation project.

Follow Elizabeth's work on LinkedIn.

Resources for the episode 

• Science Digest: "Canadian Government Receives Failing Grade for Lack of Evidence-Based Alcohol Policies"
• The Canadian Alcohol Policy Evaluation (CAPE)
• New Study: Alcohol Policies to Prevent NCDs Generate Positive Societal Impacts Immediately
• WHO Report: Alcohol Best Buys With Second Highest Return on Investment

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.

About The Alcohol Issues Podcast

The Alcohol Issues Podcast is an original production from Movendi International. It’s a show about latest alcohol policy developments, brand new research, and stories that reveal the predatory practices of the alcohol industry. We bring you in-depth conversations with trail-blazing alcohol policy makers, visionary community activists, and leading scientists. We do it all to reshape how the world thinks about alcohol’s impact on society and the benefits of alcohol policy action.