Lithuanian experience in alcohol control policy development

Aurelijus Veryga, MD, PhD, Assoc. prof.Expert of the Parliament Committee of Health

of the Republic of Lithuania

4th EUROPEAN ALCOHOL POLICY CONFERENCE, BRUSSELS 21-22 JUNE, 2010

Alcohol policy

• Official alcohol control policy started in year 1996 after introduction of Alcohol Control Law.

• At that time alcohol production was owned by state

• Alcohol selling time was restricted• There was almost no alcohol advertisement

Policy development 1996 -2007• Alcohol production companies were sold to private business;• Alcohol advertisement was allowed and restricted only in content,

beer advertisement was associated with most popular sport in the country – basketball;

• Alcohol sale was allowed 24 hours;• There was allowed to sell alcohol in fuel stations, sanatoriums, living

houses;• Tax reductions for cider and small brewers were introduced;• Excise tax for spirits was reduced by 40% in 1999;• In 2004 after joining EU import tax disappeared;• This happened in the context of more than 20% of income grow every

year until 2007;• There were 16 5000 licenses to sell alcohol given to the business.

Percentage of 11-15 years old children reported has been drunk 2 or more times in a life, year 1998

HBSC, 2006

Izraelis 4 Šveicarija 6 Portugalija 7 Prancūzija 8

Lietuva 9 Vengrija 9 Graikija 9 Lenkija 9 Estija 9

Fl.Belgija 10 Čekija 10 Latvija 10 Rusija 12 Airija 13

Vokietija 13 JAV 14

Pr.Belgija 14 Švedija 15

Norvegija 15 Austrija 15 Slovakija 17 Kanada 19 Š.Airija 21 Suomija 25 Anglija 26 Škotija 27 Danija 29

Grenlandija 30 Velsas 35

10 Izraelis 11 Šveicarija 12 Graikija 13 Prancūzija 15 Norvegija 15 Rusija 16 Vokietija 16 Portugalija 16 Švedija 16 Fl.Belgija 17 JAV 18 Lietuva 19 Vengrija 19 Lenkija 19 Čekija 20 Kanada 20 Estija 21 Airija 22 Austrija 22 Latvija 22 Pr.Belgija 24 Suomija 28 Š.Airija 29 Grenlandija 29 Slovakija 30 Škotija 31 Anglija 34 Danija 40 Velsas

1

2

5

3

6

4

7

181920

2122

2324

2526

2728

11

12

131415

16

17

8

910

MergaitėsBerniukai

0 030 3010

%%

50

29

10 502040 4020

Girls Boys

Percentage of 11-15 years old children reported has been drunk 2 or more times in a life, year 2006

HBSC, 2006

8,93 JAV 9,43 Malta 9,80 Norvegija 10,00 Ispanija 10,13 Graikija 10,33 Švedija 11,10 Makedonija 11,27 Italija 11,73 Liuksemburgas 11,90 Prancūzija 12,27 Islandija 12,30 Šveicarija 12,53 Izraelis 12,60 Portugalija 12,67 Nyderlandai 13,33 Vokietija 15,33 Belgija 15,70 Airija 16,07 Kanada 17,37 Čekijos Respublika 17,77 Austrija 18,37 Vengrija 18,73 Grenlandija 19,30 Slovakija 19,63 Suomija 19,77 Lenkija 21,10 Slovėnija 22,30 Ukraina 22,40 Rusijos Federacija 25,00 Kroatija 25,30 Rumunija 25,40 Jungtinė Karalystė 25,53 Danija 27,27 Latvija 27,60 Bulgarija 29,00 Lietuva 29,33 Estija n/d Turkija

Izraelis 4,83 Makedonija 4,97

Malta 7,07 Šveicarija 7,37 Graikija 7,40 Italija 7,43

Prancūzija 8,03 JAV 8,27

Portugalija 8,43 Liuksemburgas 8,53 Nyderlandai 8,97 Rumunija 9,57 Švedija 9,83 Belgija 10,03 Ispanija 10,23 Vokietija 11,27 Norvegija 11,67 Islandija 12,17 Slovėnija 12,33 Lenkija 12,43 Airija 12,83

Kroatija 13,70 Čekijos Respublika 13,87

Vengrija 13,90 Austrija 14,13 Ukraina 14,77 Slovakija 15,10 Kanada 16,63 Suomija 18,53

Rusijos Federacija 18,53 Latvija 19,17

Grenlandija 19,20 Estija 19,67

Bulgarija 20,27 Danija 21,77 Lietuva 22,13

Jungtinė Karalystė 25,10 Turkija n/d

12

5

3

6

4

7

1819202122232425262728

11121314151617

8910

MergaitėsBerniukai

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31

3332

3435

2930

10

363738

20 20

Girls Boys

9-14 old children alcohol intoxications (hospital cases with diagnostic code T-51)

17,3 times increase in 6 years

Has been planed according to Lithuanian Health Program

Real sittuation

According to number of alcoholpsychosis the real consumption was 20 l

Policy development 2007 - 2009• Year 2008 was announced as “Year of sobriety” by the Lithuanian Parliament• Some financial recourses were allocated to informational campaigns• Alcohol advertisement was banned during day time (from 6 AM till 11 PM) in TV

and radio• Excise tax was raised for alcohol and tax reductions for small brewers and cider

disappeared• Alcohol selling time was reduced and it was forbidden to sell alcohol from 8 AM till

10 PM• Public discussions about alcohol problems started• Public organizations became active in alcohol control area, coalition of 25 NGO’s

started active policy work• Fines for drunk drivers were increased, confiscation of cars was introduced (about

800 cars are confiscated each year), removal of the driving license introduced• Increased excise taxes come in to the place together with economical crisis and

rapid decrease in people income

Alcohol related problems dynamic (cases per 100 000 population)

31% decrease in 2 years

27 % decrease in 2 years

Dynamic of alcohol related problems (in the year 2009)

• 456 people less died (30% decrease) from alcohol related causes

• 1,8 times decrease of alcoholic cardiomiopathy

• 7,5% decrease of social risk families with drinking problems

• 41% decrease of drunk drivers caused road accidents

Major problems unsolved

• Illegal production and illegal sale of alcohol • Uncontrolled sales to minors

• Ban of alcohol advertisement in 2012• Ban of alcohol sales in kiosks in 2012

New regulations coming to place

New pro alcohol proposals

• To extend alcohol selling hours• To legalize home made spirit production• To close State Tobacco and Alcohol Control

Agency

New alcohol control proposals

• To allow alcohol sales only in specialized shops or units

• To increase legal age to 21 • New regulation for packaging and labeling