Despite the eagerness of governments to legislate alcohol-control policies, it was time to admit that the evidence was far from conclusive, writes [b]Henry Yeomans[/b] of the [b]University of Leeds[/b], in [s]The Conversation[/s]. A notable problem here is that there is considerable uncertainty about what a moderate, safe or responsible form of drinking actually entails.
In South Africa, the damage alcohol abuse inflicted on the economy cost at least R246bn or 10% of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2009, reports Business Day. It cites a [s]SA Medical Journal[/s] study by [b]Dr Richard Matzopoulos of the University of Cape Town’ School of Public Health and Family Medicine[/b], that comes as the government weighs up a potential ban on alcohol advertising, a move the liquor industry, media and sporting bodies fiercely oppose.
A draft bill seeking to ban – or at least strictly regulate – alcohol advertising still has not been made available for public input, leaving the alcohol marketing and media industries in limbo, reports [s]The Media Online[/s]. Cabinet approved the Control of Marketing of Alcoholic Beverages Bill in September 2013 and [b]Social Development minister Bathabile Dlamini[/b] announced that it would be published in the Government Gazette immediately, but there is still no sign of it.
[link url=http://theconversation.com/evidence-for-alcohol-policy-is-still-uncertain-and-its-time-to-admit-it-23149]Full report in The Conversation[/link]
[link url=http://www.bdlive.co.za/economy/2014/02/13/burden-of-alcohol-abuse-to-economy-estimated-to-be-as-high-as-10-of-gdp]Full report in Business Day[/link]
[link url=http://www.samj.org.za/index.php/samj/article/view/7644]SA Medical Journal: The cost of harmful alcohol use[/link]
[link url=http://themediaonline.co.za/2014/02/booze-ads-industries-hanging-in-the-balance]Full report on The Media Online[/link]