News and Notes (2002)

AddictionVolume 97, Issue 9 p. 1232-1236 Free Access News and Notes Compiled by Susan Savva First published: 30 August 2002 https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1360-0443.2002.00257.xAboutSectionsPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat Spain: youth, leisure, and alcohol consumption Ma del Carmen del Río and F. Javier Alvarez write The congress on Young People, the Night and Alcohol was held in Madrid from 12 to 14 February 2002. The largest alcohol event ever seen in Spain, it was presided over by HM the Queen and organized by the National Plan on Drugs in collaboration with other ministries and public and youth organizations. It attracted over 1500 delegates and 2600 schoolchildren. The congress was held to examine changes in alcohol consumption by young people and the adoption by them of what might be called ‘patterns of risk’. A school survey carried out in 2000 shows that the average age to start consuming alcohol is 13 years. Seventy-six per cent of Spanish teenagers between the ages of 14 and 18 drink alcohol, especially at weekends and at night, and often in an improper manner. The main cause of death among young people is traffic accidents involving alcohol. The general public is unaware of the harms and risk associated with these consumption patterns. Society has become alarmed only at the constant nuisance (late-night noise, problems of public order) caused by the very visible phenomenon known as the ‘botellón’ (young people buying large bottles of alcoholic beverages in supermarkets and consuming them in the street, in parks, etc.). As recent social protests coincided with this conference, it has erroneously been called by some the ‘botellón’ congress. Besides the scientific programme, the congress also created, through 3 days of debate on the relationship between youth, leisure and alcohol consumption, an awareness among the public at large of the need for ­preventive strategies. Over the 12 months preceding the congress, there were specific meetings and preparatory sessions related to the themes of debate. National and international experts took part, and debates involved all elements of society: young people, parents and teachers, social organizations, the leisure industry and the media. Five work groups studied various themes and presented recommendations. There was an exhibition of the alcohol programmes and preventive activities that have been set up throughout Spain. Also on offer were recreational, cultural and sporting activities open to all young people and the public in general. During the congress, the Home Ministry announced new legislation to regulate ‘alcohol consumption on public streets, to prohibit access to alcohol for under 18s, to limit the advertising and promotion of alcoholic beverages, to harden sanctions for those who sell drink to underage youths’ and the obligatory introduction of a school subject entitled ‘Education for Health’ for students aged 12 and 13. Information about the congress and its conclusions can be found at the Spanish language sites http:www.mir.espnd and http:www.sindrogas.escongreso. Dr Del Río can be contacted at delrio@med.uva.es Marketing and the promotion of alcohol to young people: a potent mix Two of my correspondents have drawn to my attention the recommendations of a recent technical consultation to the World Health Organization (WHO) on the marketing and promotion of alcohol to young people. The event, hosted by the Valencian Community on 7–9 May 2002, brought together 50 people from marketing and public health backgrounds from 22 countries. Participants reviewed examples of alcohol marketing from Asia, Africa, Europe, Oceania and the Americas—some presented by the young people themselves. The examples demonstrated that young people across the globe live in environments characterized by aggressive and ubiquitous efforts encouraging them to initiate drinking and to drink heavily. Most of these examples, together with rising expenditure, augment the substantial and influential presence of alcohol marketing in the traditional media outlets of television, radio, print and outdoor. The examples attest to the growth of musical, sports and cultural sponsorships, Internet-based promotions, product placements and youth-oriented new product development, on-premise and special event promotions, and other efforts to make alcoholic beverages a normal and integral part of young people's lives and cultures. The potent mix of products, pricing, easy availability and promotion requires a comprehensive public health response that addresses all of these marketing variables. Research evidence suggests that young people respond to this marketing on an emotional level, changing their beliefs and expectations about drinking. The marketing clearly influences young people's decision to drink. Exposure to and enjoyment of alcohol advertising predicts heavier and more frequent drinking among young people. A one-sided view of alcohol use is presented, masking its contribution to morbidity, mortality and social harm. It affects social norms about drinking, and contributes to an environment hostile to public health measures and messages. Current responses are piecemeal and inadequate, and have done little to control the marketing of alcohol products. Evidence suggests that self-regulation by the alcohol, advertising and media industries is ineffective. Media literacy, training young people to decode and resist marketing messages, by itself is insufficient to address the emotional and non-logical appeal of the marketing. New responses are required. The global nature of the marketing demands a response at international, national and local levels. Here are the recommendations of the group: • to support in different countries the legislative and ­regulatory steps necessary to ensure that young ­people are not exposed to promotional messages about alcohol; • to raise awareness of sophisticated industry marketing techniques, and develop best practices in media advocacy and counter-advertising programmes; such practices to be undertaken independently of commercial interests, and with the input and leadership of young people themselves; • to recommend that young people play a central role in the work to free their generation from the illusions created by marketing and associated promotions of alcohol, and • to recommend that WHO formulate a strategy to ensure that current negotiations on cross-boundary services (General Agreement on Trade in Services) do not undermine the rights and capacities of jurisdictions to set appropriate and public health-oriented alcohol policies. The full text of the declaration, together with Derek Yach's opening speech to the meeting, can be found at http:www5.who.intschool-youth-healthmain.cfm?p0000000632, and a monograph on the issues is currently being prepared. Contact Leanne Riley for further information (rileyl@who.int). Cigarettes can damage your health—in full colour Anti-smoking campaigners are using increasingly inventive tactics to get their point across. Advertisements in the French media in June stating that ‘traces of hydrocyanic acid, mercury, acetone and ammonia have been found in a widely consumed product’ shocked consumers into jamming telephone helplines, only to discover that the mystery product was—cigarettes. Callers—and there were 400 000 of them in the 15 minutes after the feature first appeared on prime-time television—then received an anti-smoking message and advice about quitting the habit. Behind the hard-hitting campaign were two government agencies, the National Health Insurance System and the Institute for Health Awareness and Prevention. Meanwhile, according to a report from Associated Press, the Institute for Health Promotion in Thailand has recommended the introduction of graphic health warnings on cigarette packets. The full-colour pictures of the results of illnesses caused by smoking will, if adopted, cover half the front and back of the packs and will be in addition to existing text health messages. Canada has led the way by introducing similar graphic warnings on packs, and campaigners claim that after a year the measures are making an impact, particularly on less educated smokers. The cigarette companies are expected to contest the move in the courts. Philip Morris (Thailand) Ltd has protested that the pictures would impair brand recognition (by obscuring the trademark and identifying features) and inhibit communication with the product's customers. People Sally Casswell has accepted a position as Professor of Social and Health Research at Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand. She will be directing the new Centre for Social and Health Outcomes Research and Evaluation (the SHORE Centre). Professor Casswell was previously at the Alcohol and Public Health Research Unit at the University of Auckland. Her entire research team and support staff from APHRU have chosen to move with her and they will be continuing with most of their current research projects. Sally Casswell, who is well known to many readers of this journal, continues in her valued role as Addiction’s deputy regional editor for Australasia. Shore@massey.ac.nz http:www.shore.ac.nz The jellinek memorial award Addiction wishes to congratulate Dr Mark B. Sobell (Center for Psychological Studies, Nova South-eastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA) on his winning the 2002 Jellinek Memorial Award. The citation refers to ‘his major contributions to research on assessment, prevention, early intervention and behavioral (clinical and experimental) studies’. Nominations are invited for the 2003 Jellinek Memorial Award. The specified category is epidemiology and population studies. Eligible research includes population-based studies ranging over economics, public policy, ­cultural and anthropological studies, and international studies. Nominees must have contributed outstanding research within this broad area, and should provide an example and serve as a model for others who might be attracted to work in the field. In addition to a cash award of US$5000, the recipient is presented with a bust of the late E. M. Jellinek with an appropriate inscription. To nominate a candidate, submit a detailed letter (four copies) describing the principal contributions for which the candidate is being nominated, signed by the nominator and any co-nominators, along with a current copy of the candidate's curriculum vitae. Nominations must be received no later than 1 November 2002 (fax and e-mail not accepted), and should be sent to the chair of the ­selection committee, Dr Harold D. Holder, at Prevention Research Center, Berkeley, CA 94704, USA. Sharing the world's knowledge to improve policy and practice A website of interest is the Virtual Clearinghouse on ­Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs (VCATOD), http:www.atod.org. The site is currently being developed to meet the information needs of researchers, policy makers and information specialists, but the Virtual Clearinghouse is not just a website per se. It is also a global partnership of organizations committed to working together to share the world's knowledge to improve policy and practice. A key aim of the Virtual Clearinghouse is to fill gaps that exist in information exchange in the alcohol, tobacco and other drugs field. To this end, the Virtual Clearinghouse identifies and facilitates access to information that has been historically difficult to locate, and typically not accessible through existing scientific databases. Examples of this type of information include national strategies and government reports. The Clearinghouse also provides a cost-effective means of connecting the addictions community worldwide by supporting information-sharing networks and dialogue among professionals. The features on the trilingual (English, French and Spanish) website include: a database of full-text documents on policy, research and statistics; a topics section focusing on policy issues; occasional online threaded discussions; a calendar of events; an e-mail directory; an extensive collections of links, and a customized machine translator using a lexicon of substance abuse terms in English, French and Spanish. The Virtual Clearinghouse has a growing group of partners (currently 45 organizations) representing national and non-governmental organizations in Europe, the Americas, Australasia and Africa. Multilateral partners include the International Council on Alcohol and Addictions, United Nations International Drug Control Programme, European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, Inter-American Observatory on Drugs of CICAD, World Health Organization, International Labour Organization, ELISAD (European Librarians and Information Specialists on Alcohol and other Drugs) and SALIS (Substance Abuse Librarians and Information Specialists). The Virtual Clearinghouse is hosted and directed by partners and is developing under a cooperative, distributed model. Organizations wishing to become a partner in the Virtual Clearinghouse must meet a set of criteria that includes having a presence on the Internet, and ­disseminating information on alcohol, tobacco or other drugs—some of which emanates from the organization. Currently, the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse serves as the secretariat. The secretariat provides the administrative and technical infrastructure and coordinates the development of two governance committees, the Partner and Content Committee and the Steering Committee. For further information, please contact Bette Reimer, coordinator of the VCATOD, at breimer@ccsa.ca or visit the website at http:www.atod.org. THE IGUANA COLUMN The other day, our Iguana narrowly escaped being run over when crossing the road in a small town on the US–Mexican border where she was visiting cousins. Her many admirers will be relieved to know that our world-famed and widely syndicated columnist escaped physically unscathed, although still a little shocked. Below is her report on this incident. The driver who had consumed drinks industry propaganda The driver skidded to a halt and climbed down out of his SUV the better to curse me. Out of the vehicle fell an almost empty bottle of bourbon and a document entitled ICAP Reports 11, Blood Alcohol Concentration Limits Worldwide. To those unfamiliar with US terminology, SUV is the generic term for beastly, gas-guzzling four wheel drive vehicles of the kind now favoured by Americans. I said to the driver, ‘You have been drinking somewhat and seemingly mixing alcohol with drinks industry propaganda and that is peculiarly dangerous’. He sat on a garden wall. ‘Yes, I am feeling quite horribly fuddled. I should not have mixed those consumables.’ I said, ‘You must have known that ICAP [the so-called International Center for Alcohol Policies] is a lobby that takes money from 12 alcohol producers. To mix that with whiskey was grossly irresponsible’. ‘It's not my fault,’ he pleaded. ‘I read that line on the back of their document about ICAP being dedicated to “helping reduce the abuse of alcohol worldwide”, being keen on “partnership” and “dialogue”, that sort of thing, and I swallowed it.’ ‘Foolish human,’ I retorted, ‘a lobby is a lobby is a lobby’. ‘Well,’ he said, and I smelt the drink and the ICAP propaganda both heavy on the man's breath. ‘My BAC is probably 78 mg% at this moment and the statutory level in this state is 80 mg%. ICAP says there is “a lack of agreement” on where such a level should be set.’ ‘Poor fellow,’ I answered, with perhaps a hint of compassion entering my voice. ‘Did you not know that to talk of “lack of agreement” is a prime industry strategy for the obfuscation of evident truth? Are you aware by what factor your risk of a fatal or serious crash is increased over the zero baseline at a BAC of 80 mg%?’ ‘No,’ he answered, and he was weeping now. ‘ICAP did not tell me. ‘A habit of being economical with the truth, alas, that is a further hallmark of liquorspeak,’ I told him. ‘Listen, at 80 mg% your crash risk is increased 10 times over base, and even at 50 mg% the risk is doubled.’ ‘Oh help me!’ he pitifully exclaimed. ‘ICAP makes no mention of those crucial facts but seems keen on taxi-home schemes.’ ‘Yes,’ I laughed sardonically. ‘Lobbies are always keen on the diversionary and the trivial rather than the crucial, you must expect that of ICAP. Do not ever leave ICAP around where your children may sip it.’ ‘Do not tell me ICAP is all bad,’ he said, mopping his eyes. ‘I found evidence in their document of cultural sensitivity. When discussing the setting of BAC levels, they urge that perceived risk should be weighed against “the public convenience and cultural acceptability of such restriction on individual behaviour”.’ ‘Oh, that's liquorspeak at its most barefaced and shameless,’ I shouted. ‘God bless my lettuce sandwiches! They mean cultural freedom to sell as many drinks as possible. Now you see why ICAP is an organization so lacking in credibility. ICAP is a nest of liquorspeakers funded by the liquor industry to further the industry's propaganda. Read the message behind the message and all will become transparent.’ ‘So your advice to me, Madam?’ he enquired. ‘Leave your SUV parked and book yourself into yonder neon-lit Truckers’ Paradise. and promise me never again to mix drink with driving, at any level. and never touch ICAP again, in any dose at all.’ He clasped my hand and I knew that I was looking into the face of a reformed man. References Conferences and events Contact details References International Center for Alcohol Policies (2002) Blood Alcohol Concentration Limits Worldwide. ICAP Reports 11 (May 2002). Washington, DC: International Center for Alcohol Policies. Google Scholar Conferences and events The Drugs Debate: Changing Times . One-day conference that aims to open up the debate around UK drugs legislation. Morning keynote speakers review current and ­alternative drug policy; formal debates follow in the afternoon. 18 September 2002, Theatre Clwyd, Mold, North Wales, UK. Contact: alison.richardson@canolfan-dawn-centre.org.uk 4th Annual ISAM (International Society of Addiction Medicine) Meeting and SAA (Icelandic National Centre of Addiction Medicine) 25th Anniversary Conference . ­Reykjavik, Iceland, 2–5 October 2002. Contact: Iceland Travel, Conference Department. Tel.: + 354 585 4309; fax: + 354 585 4390; website: http:www.saa.is 4th European Conference of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. Santander, Spain, 3–5 October 2002. Contact: Conference Secretariat. Tel.: + 34 942 23 06 27; fax: + 34 942 23 10 58; e-mail: info@aforosl.com ; website: http:www.aforosl.com4ec-srnt Alcohol and the Family: Challenging the Impact . Mount Errigal Hotel, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal, Ireland, 9–10 October 2002. International conference for those working with children and families in health, state and include and Contact: + fax: + e-mail: ; or conference fax: + e-mail: . with . international conference of the European of Drug in October 2002. Contact: Drug 4th The UK. Tel.: + fax: + e-mail: ; website: to Alcohol Policies October 2002. and international review of research has the and development of and a of the Institute for the of Alcohol and Drug of the 2002 for young may by for Contact: E. Conference Tel.: + fax: + e-mail: ; website: New New The for and Research in Substance Abuse will its national conference on 7–9 November 2002 in Washington, Contact: National USA. Tel.: + 1 fax: + 1 e-mail: ; website: Society for the of Addiction Annual . conference with the of Hotel, November 2002. Contact: Conference Tel.: + fax: + e-mail: Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco Annual New Hotel, New February Contact: Tel.: + 1 e-mail: ; website: Substance Use and International research February Contact: National Drug Research University, Tel.: + fax: + e-mail: and Other Contact: Tel.: + fax: + e-mail: ; website: Contact details News and Notes contributions from its your to Susan News and Notes Addiction, National Addiction UK. + e-mail: to will be to free of details of your conference or event, up to and your 3 months of and in which you would it to 1232-1236