Prevention approach problem drinking takes a big hit
Two important organizations that participate in the alcohol prevention consultation have withdrawn. Because that's how STAP and NVDI say: 'As long as the industry is sitting around the table, nothing will happen'.
In November 2018, the National Prevention Agreement was signed by 70 civil society organisations. These agreements should ensure that smoking, problematic alcohol use and overweight are reduced. Four years later, the alcohol goals seem further away than ever. The Netherlands Institute for Alcohol Policy STAP and the Dutch Association of Beverage and Catering Inspectors (NVDI) recently decided to withdraw from the alcohol prevention consultation.
| The national government wants various groups to drink less alcohol by 2040:
At this time drink 8.9 percent of pregnant women, that must be reduced to a maximum of 4 percent 45 percent of young people under the age of 18 have already drunk alcohol, which should be a maximum of 25 percent. of all people drinks 8.9% too much. That is more than 21 glasses of alcohol per week for men and more than 14 glasses of alcohol per week for women. The goal is to reduce problem drinking to 5 percent. |
Not a national but a personal problem
The umbilical cord has been cut, because both STAP and NVDI believe that the alcohol industry opposes any effective policy measure. The industry is silent in discussions about making alcohol more expensive or limiting alcohol advertising. According to STAP director Wim van Dalen, the industry is clever in avoiding discussions, which means that no steps have been taken so far.
Where the organizations believe that alcohol is a primary health problem, the alcohol industry in turn sees alcohol problems as personal problems. So if you can't handle alcohol responsibly, something is wrong with you and you need help.
Applause from different angles
We already know from concerns expressed earlier that things did not go smoothly. For example, the Trimbos Institute announced some time ago that consultation at the prevention tables is difficult due to the presence of industry. Now that STAP has withdrawn, Addiction Science Netherlands also says that the alcohol policy must be stronger.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has now also advised governments against letting industry participate in discussions about prevention policy. State Secretary Maarten van Ooijen of Public Health has the Prevention Agreement in his portfolio and has announced that he will shortly come up with a plan on how to proceed with the alcohol prevention table. Source: onetoday.avrotros.nl.
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