March 2006

Alcohol: No Ordinary Commodity 3 Forum

The Alcohol Policy Network in collaboration with the Association to Reduce Alcohol Promotion in Ontario, the Ontario Public Health Association, and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health have been working diligently over the past few months in planning the third alcohol forum in the series of "Alcohol: No Ordinary Commodity." These annual forums are based on a recent publication produced by international researchers and published by the World Health Organization (WHO). Alcohol: No Ordinary Commodity: Research and Public Policy discusses the main action steps of alcohol policy with the sole intent of increasing public health and safety. These main points consist of:

• Pricing and taxation

• Regulating the physical availability of alcohol

• Modifying the drinking context

• Drinking-driving countermeasures

• Regulating alcohol promotion

• Education and persuasion strategies

• Treatment and early intervention services

This year's forum, titled Alcohol: No Ordinary Commodity 3: Emerging Evidence on the Links Between Alcohol Promotion and Risky Drinking will address the main strategy of regulating alcohol promotion. The social and health consequences related to alcohol consumption are on the rise among Canadian youth. Alcohol advertising and promotion is a significant factor that influences adolescent alcohol consumption rates. Recent research has shown that alcohol advertising increases awareness about alcohol, creates a pro-attitude towards drinking, and may lead to heavier or more frequent drinking among young people, putting them at risk for a multitude of public health and safety problems.

The forum will consist of theoretical research on alcohol promotion and risky drinking among youth, the laws surrounding alcohol advertising and effects on trade treaties. The day will also consist of opportunities to discuss current and future provincial and local initiatives being pursued to address this public health issue.

Renowned international speakers will be joining us to present their findings in relation to this issue. Dr. David Jernigan, Research Director at the Center for Alcohol Marketing and Youth in Washington, DC will present on the link between exposure of alcohol advertising and health and safety consequences among youth. Dr. Marvin Krank, Lead Researcher of the Project on Adolescent Trajectories and Health in Vancouver, BC will be discussing the psychological factors and influences to drink alcohol which comes into play when youth are exposed to alcohol promotion. Michelle Swenarchuk, LLB, Lawyer in Toronto, will look at the current laws and regulations surrounding alcohol promotion at provincial and national levels, and the relation of these laws to international trade treaties. Municipal and provincial public health responses to this data will be presented by several individuals including Joe Rock and Rebecca Fortin from the Ontario Public Health Association, Patricia Hajdu from the Thunder Bay Health Unit, and Stephen Gard from Windsor FOCUS Resource Centre.

This FREE forum is taking place on Friday March 3, 2006, from 8:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Aldwin Stokes Auditorium, 250 College Street (College and Spadina) in Toronto. Presentations and information stemming from this forum will be made available on our website shortly thereafter.