In a recent study, researchers from the International Alcohol Control Study revealed high levels of alcohol industry influence in 13 middle-income and 11 high-income countries, provinces or states included in the study. They developed a new tool to document the activities used by the industry to influence alcohol policy. They used 22 indicators to assess alcohol industry influence (measured in terms of alcohol industry penetration) and government measures (measured in terms of government safeguards) to limit the alcohol industry’s influence on alcohol policy and policymakers.
The researchers found that all 24 jurisdictions reported the presence of transnational alcohol corporations. More than half reported that government officials or politicians have worked in the alcohol industry. They also documented that the alcohol industry took part in creating and carrying out alcohol policies. They identified partnerships between the government and the alcohol industry, including corporate social responsibility activities and public-private partnerships. They also highlighted government support for the alcohol industry, which includes incentives, subsidies and tax breaks for the industry at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, they found that there was limited protection against alcohol industry influence. The study called for governments to implement policies that can protect alcohol policy from alcohol industry influence.
FORUT, along with the Health Promotion Agency (New Zealand) and Thai Health supported the research conducted by the International Alcohol Control Study.
Authors: June Yue Yan Leung, Sally Casswell, Steve Randerson, Lathika Athauda, Arvind Banavaram, Sarah Callinan, Orfhlaith Campbell, Surasak Chaiyasong, Song Dearak, Emeka W Dumbili, Laura Romero-García, Gopalkrishna Gururaj, Romtawan Kalapat, Khem Karki, Thomas Karlsson, Mom Kong, Shiwei Liu, Norman Danilo Maldonado Vargas, Juan Felipe Gonzalez-Mejía, Timothy Naimi, Keitseope Nthomang, Opeyemi Oladunni, Kwame Owino, Juan Camilo Herrera Palacio, Phasith Phatchana, Pranil Man Singh Pradhan, Ingeborg Rossow, Gillian Shorter, Vanlounny Sibounheuang, Mindaugas Štelemėkas, Dao The Son, Kate Vallance, Wim van Dalen, Ashley Wettlaufer, Arianne Zamora, and Jintana Jankhotkaew
Publisher/Journal: BMJ Global Health
Year of Publication: 2024
Recommended citation: Leung JYY, Casswell S, Randerson S, Athauda L, Banavaram A, Callinan S, et al., (2024). Assessing alcohol industry penetration and government safeguards: the International Alcohol Control Study: BMJ Global Health 9:e016093.
You can read the article here: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjgh-2024-016093