THEME - From top down and bottom up
National and international alcohol policies are effective only if they are enforced and supported at the local level.
Alcohol related harm and alcohol policy in Estonia
The pocket boom "Pocket World in Figures 2013", issued by the Economist, indicated this January that more alcohol is sold in Estonia per capita than in any other state in the world.
In Estonia, 118.4 litres of alcohol per capita is sold, giving it the top position in the world. Finland and Germany share the second and third positions with 99.5 litres and Australia comes next with 99.4 litres.
Despite some good efforts, Estonia does´nt have a national alcohol strategy. In 2012 Ministry of Social Affairs organized a process to produce an alcohol policy green book which is soon going to the governments table. Will that Book start a change in this small Baltic State? What can we learn from the situation in Estonia?
Global and EU evidence to support action on the local level
A new study by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) shows that alcohol is now the third leading cause of the global burden of disease and injury, despite the fact most adults worldwide abstain from drinking.
As problem is growing, the world is starting to take alcohol problem more seriously. In 2010, WHO adopted its first global alcohol strategy. In 2006, European Commission adopted its first European Alcohol Strategy which was renewed in 2012.
How can these international documents help national policies and what can NGO-s at the grass-root level do to help these international strategies become more than just papers?
Alcohol policy from Nordic perspective
As Nordic countries have historically been associated with alcohol problems and binge drinking, they have a long tradition with public health oriented and restrictive alcohol policies. With consistent political commitment, for instance in Norway, alcohol consumption is
lowest in Western Europe. At the same time three Baltic nations are among top drinkers in Europe and with that also in the whole world.
In 2012 Nordic Council accepted a document "Nordic alcohol and tobacco policies in a public health perspective - 2014-2020". What are the main challenges in different Nordic countries and how well can Baltic States improve their liberal policies to cut alcohol related harm?