Text file: 1166.txt
author: Dost mam
downvotes: 3
end consideration date: 2010-11-16
id: '1166'
number comments: 5
number views: 4622
proposal type: Competent authority response
response: "Response from the Ministry of Health\nYour proposal for a total ban on\
  \ alcohol advertising is very important from a public health point of view, as alcohol\
  \ marketing is a factor that increases the likelihood that children and adolescents\
  \ will start to consume alcohol or, if they are already consuming alcohol, that\
  \ they will consume even greater quantities of it. This in turn leads to both alcohol\
  \ dependence and an increased risk of road accidents, injuries and deaths, suicides,\
  \ depression, etc.\nAlcohol sellers are increasingly using newer media technologies\
  \ (mobile phones, social networks such as Facebook, YouTube) to promote their products\
  \ in order to sell better, especially to younger generations.\nDue to the aforementioned\
  \ impact of the promotion of alcoholic beverages on increased alcohol consumption\
  \ and the alarming harmful and risky use of alcohol and its consequences, the measure\
  \ to restrict the marketing of alcoholic beverages is being discussed both at global\
  \ level and in the EU context. The risky and harmful use of alcohol by young people\
  \ is of particular concern, as alcohol is the most important factor for premature\
  \ mortality and disability in the 15-29 year old population.\nThe WHO's Alcohol\
  \ Harm Reduction Action Guide lists among possible measures the prohibition of all\
  \ forms of alcohol-related marketing communication, including new media technologies\
  \ (direct and indirect advertising, sponsorship, alcohol promotion). This is a very\
  \ challenging measure, as it could only be properly implemented if the conditions\
  \ for marketing communication were harmonised at international level. In practice,\
  \ this means that, at least within the European Community, legislation should be\
  \ adopted which includes a ban on advertising alcoholic beverages in all media,\
  \ including electronic media. The 2009 Council of the European Union Conclusions\
  \ on Alcohol and Health call on Member States to consider ways to improve the implementation\
  \ of national and EU rules on alcohol marketing and on the Commission to consider\
  \ further steps to reduce exposure to alcohol marketing and, in cooperation with\
  \ Member States, to improve knowledge of the cross-border problems arising in the\
  \ EU from the cross-border marketing of alcoholic beverages. However, there are\
  \ as yet no country-wide restrictions on the marketing of alcoholic beverages at\
  \ European Community level.\nThe problem of alcohol advertising has long been highlighted\
  \ by both Slovenian and international NGOs, which recommend a complete ban on alcohol\
  \ marketing, at least in the part that appeals to young people (including new media\
  \ technologies), and the gradual abolition of advertising on television and in cinema,\
  \ as well as the abolition of sponsorship and promotion of alcoholic beverages.\
  \ More information on such activities can be found on the European Alcohol Policy\
  \ Network website (www.eurocare.org) or on the Slovenian website www.infomosa.si.\n\
  From a public health perspective, we in Slovenia are advocating for the harmonisation\
  \ of marketing communication conditions across Europe and are exploring the possibility\
  \ of introducing a complete ban on advertising, sponsorship and promotion of alcoholic\
  \ beverages, as we have done in the area of tobacco restrictions.\nThe area of price\
  \ regulation and excise duties on alcoholic beverages, to which the second part\
  \ of your initiative refers, is the responsibility of the Ministry of Finance. The\
  \ Ministry of Health supports the measure to increase taxes and prices on alcoholic\
  \ beverages, which, according to the WHO recommendations, is one of the more cost-effective\
  \ measures to reduce the risky and harmful use of alcohol.\nEconomic studies have\
  \ shown that increasing taxes and prices on alcoholic beverages reduces the sale\
  \ of alcoholic beverages and, consequently, the extent of the consequences of risky\
  \ and harmful alcohol use. Raising the final price of alcoholic beverages means\
  \ limiting their availability, especially among young people. At the same time as\
  \ increasing the price of alcoholic beverages, effective control of illegal production\
  \ and sale of alcohol and cross-border smuggling of alcoholic beverages must be\
  \ ensured.\nThe licensing of alcohol retailers and caterers is also one of the measures\
  \ that have a positive impact on reducing alcohol-related harm. Licensing allows\
  \ for greater control of alcohol sales and effective sanctioning, with the possibility\
  \ of withdrawing the alcohol sales licence of legal and natural persons who break\
  \ the law, and can provide additional financial resources for the State budget.\
  \  \n "
response date: 2010-06-12
response due date: null
sent date: 2010-10-18
title: Proposal to ban advertising of alcoholic beverages
upvotes: 10
url: https://predlagam.vladi.si/predlog/1166
