Last Wednesday the Sierra Leone Alcohol Policy Alliance was launched at a big national conference in the capital Freetown. The new alliance will now push for a national alcohol policy. Only a few days earlier a similar alliance for Sri Lanka was launched, also with the acronym SLAPA; Sri Lanka Alcohol Policy Alliance. The link …

Drinks manufacturer spends €2.8 million in sector in first half of 2015. The link address is: http://www.irishtimes.com/business/media-and-marketing/diageo-spends-most-on-out-of-home-advertising-1.2345650

A recent study from Monash University found that a quarter of all alcohol advertising on Australian TV was during televised sports. Importantly, 86 per cent of alcohol advertising between 6am and 8.30pm (that is, when kids are most likely to be watching TV) was during sports programming. The link address is: http://drinktank.org.au/2015/09/dont-worry-about-the-kids-lets-just-protect-the-alcohol-industry/

Soul City Institute for Health & Development Communication says the $106billion takeover of SABMiller will give AB Inbev access to even more cheap raw materials, labour and production processes given the discounts that will be made available to a company of this size. The same advantage will accrue to their future attempts to broker deals …

“No responsible government can ignore the dramatic consequences that alcohol use has for the health and wellbeing of its people. It is a primary task for governments to protect the health of their citizens.” With this strong opening statement Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon set the tone for the rest of the Global Alcohol Policy …

With music from a traditional Scottish bagpipe the participants at GAPC in Edinburgh were encouraged to bring the Conference Declaration out to their respective countries, constituencies and communities. The link address is: http://www.add-resources.org/conference-declaration-from-gapc-2015-in-scotland.5805882-315750.html

Millions of children globally suffer as a consequence of the use of intoxicating substances like alcohol and illicit drugs. This is an important, but too often neglected, child rights issue. The new FORUT publication “Childhood matters” describes this problem and suggests action to be taken to protect children’s health and well-being. The link address is: …

The introduction of International Beer Day is a serious cause for concern. SAAPA asks how we as a society can sit back and allow this to continue. Amidst all the public holidays commemorating fallen heroes, highlighting epidemics, raising awareness of social and health issues – suddenly pops up international beer day. Full page articles advertise …

SAAPA’s response to Business Day article, ‘Curbing the wild use of alcohol’. The article provides the facts and looks at illegal liquor outlets. Morar’s article “curbing the wild abuse of alcohol” (Business Day, 23 July, 2015) really made me think. What do we value in South Africa? The right to sell products that kills, maime …

Meshan Morar analyses the new proposed liquor policy. This article was written for and published by Business Day. Picture: Sowetan Read more…