A new report from a recent Commission on Alcohol Harm undertaken by the Alcohol Health Alliance (AHA) has been released, calling for a new comprehensive alcohol strategy for England.
The Commission received over 140 written submissions of which around 40 were from people with direct lived experience of alcohol harm. Key themes presented include harm to others, society and individuals, and the need for a new strategy given that 'nothing has really changed' since the last national alcohol strategy published in 2012.
Recommendations from the final report include:
- The new alcohol strategy must include targeted measures to support families and protect children from harm, including alcohol-fuelled violence.
- The new alcohol strategy must be science-led and adopt the World Health Organization’s evidence-based recommendations for reducing the harmful use of alcohol. This includes measures on affordability - such as the introduction of minimum unit pricing in England - and restrictions on alcohol advertising and marketing - such as ending sports sponsorship, better information for consumers, advice and treatment for people drinking at hazardous and harmful levels, and action to reduce drink driving.
- Reducing the £3.5bn cost of alcohol to the NHS would help to relieve pressure on the service and free up capacity to respond to the consequences of COVID-19.
- Changing the conversation and challenging alcohol’s position in our culture. This means addressing the stigma around alcohol use disorders, encouraging conversations about drinking to take place more easily and creating space for people to be open about the effects of alcohol on their health and those around them.
Government silent on a national strategy?
In 2018 a surprise announcement that the Government were developing a new alcohol strategy appeared to come out of the blue, but as time passed it became apparent that any such plans had been shelved. Since 2012's alcohol strategy - which infamously announced minimum pricing only to a major u-turn in 2013 - England has had no dedicated alcohol policy plan. Instead, the 2016 'Modern Crime Prevention Strategy' set out alcohol-related crime objectives whilst certain health and treatment objectives include a renewed national CQUIN for IBA and Public Health England (PHE) guidance and support.
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