Alcohol Policy Update
A Bi-Monthly Newsletter of the Alcohol Policy Network
Feel free to copy & distribute
Vol. 3 July/August 1996
"The direct cost of alcohol is nearly equal that of cancer [and its] economic burden
can be reduced by making a greater effort to reduce accidents and injuries ..."
— Dr. Perry Kendall, President, Addiction Research Foundation
A New Focus for Alcohol Policy: Injury Prevention
We've known it for years and now a new study confirms it: preventable injuries, rather than chronic disease, account for the bulk of alcohol-related costs.
According to an economic cost study released on June 19 by the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse and the Addiction Research Foundation, some 6,700 Canadians lost their lives as result of alcohol in 1992. Of these, an estimated:
- 1,021 men and 456 women perished in motor vehicle crashes
- 960 died as a result of alcoholic liver cirrhosis
- 908 died in alcohol-related suicides.
Some 86,000 Canadians, two thirds of them men, are hospitalized every year for alcohol-related causes. Falls, alcohol dependence syndrome and motor vehicle crashes account for the greatest number of hospitalizations and days spent in hospital.
According to the authors, alcohol-related health care, law enforcement and lost productivity cost Canadians some $7.5 billion or $265 for every man, woman and child annually. This figure represents 40.8% of the nation's $18.45 billion substance abuse bill or 1.09% of the Gross Domestic Product.
In response to the study's startling findings, the Alcohol Policy Network will focus its first annual provincial conference on alcohol policy and injury prevention. Set for November 13 in Toronto, the day-long get-together will feature topnotch speakers from the health, addictions and injury prevention fields; round table discussions; a poster exhibit and resource displays. A pre-registration form will be included in the next issue of Alcohol Policy Update.
The Costs of Substance Abuse in Canada, a cost estimation study by Eric Single, Lynda Robson, Xiaodi Xie and Jürgen Rehm is available in print and electronic formats. To order a free copy of the 160 page Ontario report, while supplies last, call the ARF Public Affairs Department, 416-595-6015.
To order copies of various versions of the national report, including a free 16 page summary of its highlights, call the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse, 613-235-4048 ext. 231 or visit CCSA's web page at www.ccsa.ca.
This Month on APOLNET: Bill 75
APOLNET is an on-line service aimed at keeping you informed of the latest developments in alcohol policy. This month's topic, hosted by the City of Toronto Public Health Department, features key background materials on Bill 75, including:
- a copy of the bill
- a record of the official (Hansard) debates
- a list of members of the Standing Committee on the Administration of Justice
- dates and locations of public hearings
- witnesses scheduled to appear before the Committee
- selected submissions.
Materials may be read on-line or downloaded for future reference (see APOLNET Users Manual).
Those interested in sharing news and views with colleagues across the province may also post questions and materials on the public forum.
In addition, materials previously posted on alcohol de-regulation/ privatization, alcohol advertising, drinking and driving and alcohol warning labels are now available on-line on our new and improved web site.
Alcohol Policy Round Up
Got any local alcohol policy news you'd like to share? E-mail, fax or mail us the info and we'll get the word out."
Public Hearings on Bill 75 Begin
On August 6, the Standing Committee on Administration of Justice began holding public hearings on Bill 75, the Alcohol and Gaming Regulation and Public Protection Act, 1996, in major centres across the province. First introduced in the legislature on June 13 by Consumer and Commercial Relations Minister Norman Sterling, the bill will amalgamate the Liquor Licence Board of Ontario (LLBO), and the Ontario Gaming Control Commission into the new Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO).
AGCO will assume the regulatory functions currently performed by its two namesakes, as well as certain responsibilities of the Liquor Control Board of Ontario. It is not immediately clear which specific LCBO roles will be transferred, although sources speculate that the new commission will likely take over:
- regulation of beer and wine stores and private delivery services. Currently the LCBO regulates liquor prices, outlet location, days and hours of operation and responsible marketing and sales practices of alcohol retailers.
- auditing Ontario wineries already licensed by the LLBO, to ensure they comply with the Wine Content Act.
Although the impact of the merger is still uncertain, the decision is expected to produce a cost-savings in the order of a 10 per cent reduction in staff and administrative costs, perhaps leaving relatively fewer resources devoted to the enforcement of liquor licensing provisions. Some also view the proposed transfer of LCBO responsibilities to the new body as the first in a series of steps that would see the public retail monopoly become privatized or alternatively, shift away from its traditional role of social responsibility and towards an exclusive focus on profit generation.
Committee hearings on Bill 75 will be held in Toronto (Aug 6, 7, 12 and 14); Thunder Bay (Aug 8); Kenora (Aug 9); Fort Erie (Aug 13); Sarnia (Aug 15); Ottawa (Aug 19) and Sudbury (Aug 20). Although the roster of presenters is already full, interested individuals and groups can attend the hearings and submit briefs. Submissions must be received prior to the clause-by-clause review set to take place in Toronto, August 20-21.
For more information, contact the Standing Committee on Administration of Justice, 416- 325-3525 or check out the Ontario legislature homepage, http://www.ontla.on.ca.
Brewers Press for Increased Accessibility
Traditional controls on alcohol availability are about to be liberalized if a recent industry publication is correct. According to The Beer Store, An Ontario Success Story, Brewers Retail of Ontario has asked the provincial government for permission to add 35 beer stores to its 429 outlets, extend hours of service in some stores to 11 p.m. or midnight, open on Sundays and test drive-thrus in selected locations. Already some 600 of Ontario's 1,030 beer and liquor stores were given permission to stay open on the August 5 civic holiday triple the number that opened last year. (Submitted by Anne Gallant)
Parliamentary Committee to Review Federal Drug Policy
In preparation for the public hearings on federal drug policy in the fall, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Health has begun soliciting written briefs from various groups across the country. The briefs will in part determine the witnesses to be invited back in early October. According to the terms of reference, the committee will:
- receive evidence about the harmful impact of misuse and abuse of legal and illegal drugs on the social behaviour and physical health of Canadians;
- identify the relevance of variables such as age, sex, ethnicity, socio-economic status and geographic area on the demand for and effect of such substances;
- examine effective measures for reducing the demand for and use of such substances through education, prevention, treatment and rehabili-tation; and
- make appropriate recommendations on future policy actions to reduce the demand for such substances by June 1997.
The review comes on the heels of a major policy shift at Health Canada, that will see funding for substance abuse consolidated into a much smaller pot aimed at improving the general health of Canadians at various stages of the life cycle. Its impact is already being felt by groups such as the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse (CCSA) which saw its grant slashed by 50% this year, with no commitment for funding beyond March 1997 when Canada's Drug Strategy sunsets.
For more information on the federal drug policy review, contact Nancy Hall, Clerk, Standing Committee on Health, 613-992-1775. For more information on the demise of Canada's Drug Strategy and its implications for substance abuse prevention, treatment and enforcement, contact CCSA at 613-235-4048 or check out its homepage at http:// www.ccsa.ca.
CRTC Invites Public Comments on Alcohol Advertising Framework
On August 1, the CRTC issued a public notice asking for comments on a proposed new regulatory framework for broadcast alcohol advertising. Based on public consultations held last fall, the Commission proposes to:
- introduce a stronger code governing broadcast alcohol advertising in Canada
- stop pre-clearing broadcast alcohol ads prior to airing
- allow anyone involved with the sale of alcoholic beverages to advertise on radio and television
- require the broadcast industry to file an annual report with the CRTC outlining its performance in the area of alcohol education.
The deadline for comments on the proposed revisions is October 1, 1996. For a copy of Public Notice 1996-108, visit the CRTC's homepage, http://crtc.gc.ca or call 819-997-2429. You can also check out APN's web site.
Maximize Your Impact!
The Alcohol Policy Network is a group with a mission: to facilitate the development of policies which prevent problems associated with alcohol use, and promote the health, safety and well-being of individuals and communities across Ontario. But we can't do it without you. Show your commitment to healthy communities by becoming an individual member...or better yet, by getting your organization to join as a community partner. Get involved!
- The benefits are enormous— free or low-cost publications, training and networking opportunities, access to colleagues across the province and more.
- There are no strings attached— we don't take public stands on issues so you're free to develop your own policy positions.
- It's free— although a $10 donation to offset mailing costs is welcome.
- It's easy— just fax your request to the Alcohol Policy Network at 416-367-2844.
News & Views
New Resources
Alcohol Advertising: a legal primer by University of Western Ontario law professors R. M. Solomon and B. Hovius, is now available free of charge from the Association to Reduce Alcohol Promotion in Ontario (ARAPO). The 42 page document provides a comprehensive summary of federal and provincial law governing alcohol advertising in Canada. To order your copy, call Simone Cusenza, 416-740-9592.
To order a free copy of Privatization of Liquor Retailing in Alberta, the newly released report by University of Alberta Economics Professor Douglas West, contact the U of T Centre for the Study of State and Market, 416-978-0427.
Conferences & Workshops
The Ottawa-Carleton Regional Health Department, ARF and the Alcohol Policy Network, among others, will be sponsoring a 1.5 day workshop on various aspects of alcohol policy on November 19-20. On the agenda are a community forum on alcohol de-regulation/privatization, as well as workshops on alcohol advertising, binge drinking, underage drinking and alcohol and ethno-racial communities. The event is targeted at groups in the Ottawa-Carleton area, although it's open to interested individuals from across eastern Ontario. For more information, contact Michael McCulloch at 613-724-4122 ext. 3787.
Organizations interested in hosting similar regional workshops, please contact Paula Neves at the Alcohol Policy Network, 416-367-3313 ext. 27.
Alcohol Policy Network News
One more month to go and our Summer Recruitment Drive is still going strong. To date, 125 members have joined, including 63 community partners; 10 members-at-large; 17 resource persons; and 35 network supporters. Among our community partners are:
- 18 public health units
- 16 addictions-specific groups, including 3 anti-drug focus communities
- 8 anti-drinking and driving groups
- 2 community health centres
- 2 social planning councils
- 2 university student affairs groups
- 1 district health council
- 1 police force.
Our goal is to have representation from a cross-section of groups...so, if your organization hasn't confirmed its membership yet, send us your application form. And don't forget to recruit others who may be interested in working with us. Individuals who recruit 10 new member organizations between now and September 30 will receive a complementary pass to the Alcohol Policy Network's upcoming provincial conference. Please ensure that those who you get to join refer to you on the application form. Or better yet, send us the application forms yourself. Happy recruiting!
About Us
Alcohol Policy Update is a bi-monthly fax-news-letter of the Alcohol Policy Network, a province-wide voluntary group with an interest in alcohol policy.
APN does not take public positions on issues, although its members, and its sponsor, the Ontario Public Health Association, may do so.
Information appearing in this newsletter in no way constitutes an endorsement by the OPHA or its members. Submissions welcome. Printing subject to space availability.
If you would like to continue receiving Alcohol Policy Update but haven't yet signed up as a Network Member or Supporter, fax us your application form and we'll ensure you remain on our mailing list. We'll also send you a complimentary copy of Facts on Alcohol Policy, a limited edition binder produced by the Addiction Research Foundation full of useful statistics and background information on various aspects of alcohol policy.
Please direct any comments or suggestions regarding Alcohol Policy Update to "APOLNET" staff :
Paula Neves : 416-367-3313 ext. 27 or
Ana Almeida : 416-367-3313 ext. 23
Internet E-mail: apn@opha.on.ca
SANO User ID: apn