FOR YOUR INFORMATION
We share below a number of recent developments. As always, we rely on FIVS Members to apprise us of noteworthy matters. Please contact the FIVS Secretariat with items that may be of interest.
Advertising & Marketing
Cambodia: Alcohol billboards removed from Kampong Speu Province – The governor of Kampong Speu ordered that alcohol billboards be replaced with ones that “promote health” throughout the province. The governor, who did not provide a timeframe for the ban, reportedly said that consumption of alcohol beverages triggers changes in outward behaviour, fueling domestic violence.
India: Female-only liquor store in Delhi – A women-only liquor establishment in eastern New Delhi is reportedly the only such shop in India, reputedly providing a safe environment in which women can buy alcohol beverages without fear of harassment and discrimination. Located inside a shopping mall, the store – where a sign on its glass door reads “exclusively for ladies” – reports higher sales in wine and vodka.
Norway: Conservative party supports liberalising alcohol policy – Norway’s Conservative Party reportedly will support the sale of beverages with an alcohol content of up to 8% in grocery stores. The party also indicated its support for extending the opening hours for alcohol beverage sales both at Vinmonopolet and in stores.
Illicit Alcohol
Cambodia: Eleven people die after drinking illicit wine – Eleven people reportedly died from methanol poisoning after consuming rice wine produced in a factory that authorities have since closed. Three other people were hospitalized. The wine analysed by the National Institute of Public Health showed a high methanol content. In late 2020, authorities arrested six producers of rice wine with methanol and closed 350 production sites after more than 12 people died over two weeks.
Taxation
Ukraine: Alcohol excise duties raised by 5% – The Ukrainian government reportedly approved legislation that increased the excise tax on alcohol beverages. Four years earlier, the government raised the excise tax on alcohol beverages by 20%, anticipating an additional 1.5 billion hryvnia in government revenue, but instead proceeds decreased significantly. The government has now decided to increase the tax by 5%, but experts warn that unintended results may again result in “shadow production”. Those in the alcohol sector as well as economists have reportedly called for amendments, noting that the legislation was not submitted for public consultation as is required by law.
Drink Driving
Argentina: Buenos Aires province supports proposal for national zero alcohol limit for drivers – The province of Buenos Aires reportedly has expressed support for the “Zero Alcohol” project, stalled legislation that was recently revived by the president of Argentina’s Chamber of Deputies that would lower the legal blood alcohol concentration limit from 0.5 mg/ml to zero for all motorists. The province presently has a legal blood alcohol concentration limit of 0.5 mg/ml for drivers of private cars, 0.2 ml for motorcycles, and zero tolerance for passenger and cargo transportation.
United Kingdom: More than 750 drivers banned weekly in 2021 for drink driving – Data from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency reportedly indicates that 8,476 drivers were banned from the roads in the United Kingdom for drink driving thus far in 2021, an average of 770 drivers per week. The authors of the article suggest that drivers drink only non-alcohol drinks before driving or that they leave their cars at home.
United States: Legislation would lower New York Blood Alcohol Limit – Proposed legislation in New York State would lower the state’s blood alcohol limit to 0.05 mg/ml to discourage drink driving. The legislation is part of a package of proposals backed by the mayor of New York City, including a bill that would extend speed camera enforcement from 6 am to 10 pm on weekdays to 24 hours.
Social Acceptability
Nigeria: Religious police destroy millions of bottles of alcohol in North-West states – While willing to speak out against an open grazing ban in the south, Nigeria’s Attorney General and Minister of Justice reportedly did not condemn the destruction of millions of bottles of beers by religious police in the North-West states. The religious police force there claims consumption of alcohol beverages is forbidden in Islam.
Studies
United Kingdom: Study finds any amount of alcohol consumption is harmful to the brain – A study of 25,378 people in the United Kingdom apparently found that even moderate drinking adversely affects nearly every part of the brain. The study, which has not yet been peer-reviewed, suggested that higher volumes of alcohol consumption per week were associated with lower grey matter density. The study found no evidence that drinking wine has health benefits compared with beer or spirits. The researchers also suggested that an individual’s underlying conditions such as high blood pressure and high body mass index made the negative association between alcohol and brain health more pronounced.
NOTE: We make no warranty of any kind regarding the accuracy or completeness of the information in these FIVS Alerts; nor do we necessarily support or agree with views expressed or contained therein.