Alcohol Policy Update

A Bi-Monthly Newsletter of the Alcohol Policy Network
Feel free to copy & distribute
Vol.8 July/August 1997

"People are trying to make sense of conflicting information in the media. I think the general public and those of us in the field will find the new guidelines really useful."
— Anne Gallant, Health Promoter, Peterborough County-City Health Unit

New Thinking on Drinking

Ever wonder how much alcohol is too much? Whether drinking reduces heart disease? What the experts have to say about alcohol and health? A new set of low-risk drinking guidelines may have the answers.

An expert panel chaired by University of Toronto researcher, Mary Jane Ashley, evaluated existing guidelines based on the latest research on morbidity, mortality and social harm. The consensus: healthy adults who choose to drink can cut the risk of alcohol-related injury and disease by limiting their daily intake to 2 standard drinks of beer, spirits or wine and keeping their weekly maximum to 14 drinks for men and 9 drinks for women. A standard drink contains 13.6 g of alcohol.

Drinking slowly to avoid intoxication, waiting at least one hour between drinks and taking alcohol with food and non-alcoholic beverages is advised. Groups who should limit their drinking or not drink at all include:

The protective effect of alcohol can be achieved with as little as one drink every other day. As alcohol is associated with a higher incidence of certain cancers, injuries and suicides, no one, particularly young people, is advised to start drinking or increase their intake to prevent heart disease. Exercise, better nutrition and quitting smoking are far less risky alternatives.

The new guidelines, which have been endorsed by the Addiction Research Foundation, Ontario Public Health Association and Association of Local Public Health Agencies, will be officially released to the public in early fall. In the meantime, ARF, OPHA and alPHa are collaborating with a number of groups on a dissemination plan to health and addictions professionals. Public health units, district health councils, community health centres and other selected groups will receive a comprehensive package in August, with broader dissemination via professional journals and targeted mailings to take place in September.

Background materials on the guidelines will soon be posted on APOLNET. In the meantime please contact Dr. Nevin Coston, 416-595-6929, for more information.

Special Offer: Priorities/Drugs in Ontario

"Excellent resource ... comprehensive, thorough ... highlighted statistics and other info ... easily and quickly accessible."
- Priorities evaluation form

Active in the substance abuse field? Why not get a copy of APN's Priorities, developments in alcohol policy in Ontario?

For a limited time only, those who order this new resource will receive a free copy of the Addiction Research Foundation's Drugs in Ontario. Both are ideal for use as:

Each set costs $20 (postage and handling included). To order, contact Ana Almeida at 416-367-3313, ext. 23 (1-800-267-6817) or click here.

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."

Government pilots Sunday liquor store openings

On July 11, Minister of Consumer and Commercial Relations David Tsubouchi, gave the green light allowing LCBO and Beer Store outlets to pilot Sunday shopping during the month of August providing there are no objections from local communities. Ministry sources estimate that over half of the 432 beer store and 596 LCBO outlets across the province will open between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. on August 3, 10, 17, 24 and 31, joining the 330 Ontario winery stores and the 33 on-site brewery and 3 on-site distillery stores already open year-round on Sundays. According to Tsubouchi, the initiative is designed to meet consumer demand particularly in popular tourist destinations such as resorts and border communities. It will also help the government to gauge public opinion on Sunday liquor sales and perhaps determine if a referendum on the issue is warranted, possibly as part of the fall municipal elections. Industry and government sources say that Sunday openings in December 1995 and 1996 proved popular with consumers and appeared to have no noticeable impact on consumption or alcohol-related problems. Activists like Parkdale resident Simone Cusenza, however, worry that longer hours and days of operation—extended summer hours and openings on long weekends have also been announced recently—will have a negative impact on communities already coping with problems related to the sale of alcohol. She argues that the pilot will open the door to more liberal alcohol policies—a trend that in some countries has led to a rise in alcohol-related injuries, violence and crime. It is a worry likely shared by the 33 communities across Ontario that refused to allow liquor stores to open on Sundays around Christmas of last year. Although municipal governments could again veto Sunday sales—and Hamilton, Ancaster, Dundas, Stoney Creek, Windsor, Sudbury and Sault Ste. Marie already have—it is unclear how many actually had a chance to deliberate on the issue since the announcement was made on July 11 and the deadline for filing objections with the LCBO was July 17. For more info contact Maurice Simms, MCCR Communications Branch, 416-326-8535; Chris Layton, LCBO; or Simone Cusenza, c/o Parkdale Focus Community, 416-536-1234.

Supreme Court upholds "honest mistake" defence in sexual assault case

On July 10, the Supreme Court released a decision granting a new trial to Able Joshua Esau, an Inuvik man convicted of sexually assaulting a woman following a drunken party at her house in March 1994. The case, known as R. v. Esau, once again revealed a gender gap in Canada's highest court with five male justices ruling that the jury that had found the defendant guilty should have been informed about the "honest but mistaken belief of consent" defence and the two dissenting female justices noting that the woman—a cousin of the accused—was too drunk to have consented and that Esau had been "willfully blind" to his victim's intoxication and lack of agreement. The case follows on the heels of the controversial Daviault decision in which a similarly gender-polarized Court ruled in favour of a man convicted of assaulting an elderly woman in a wheelchair, on the basis that he was too drunk to know what he was doing. The so-called drunkenness defence spawned heated debate and eventually, a one-paragraph amendment to the Criminal Code outlawing its use as a defence for violent crimes such as rape and assault. For details on this and similar cases or to view case summaries, visit the APOLNET web site at http://www.apolnet.org. Please note that due to vacation schedules and staffing changes at ARF there is sometimes a delay in posting information. Our apologies for the inconvenience.

"Zero tolerance" bill passes second reading

On June 12, Bill 134, Zero Tolerance for Substance Abuse Act, sponsored by Halton Centre backbencher Terence Young (PC) was referred to the Standing Committee on Social Development after receiving second reading at Queen's Park. The bill proposes amendments to several key pieces of legislation including the Education, the Highway Traffic, the Liquor Licence and Tobacco Control Acts. Among other things, it requires teachers to report to the principal students suspected of abusing alcohol and other drugs, and principals to suspend students for simple possession of tobacco. Bill 134 also raises by two years the age at which a student convicted at least twice of using or supplying substances, is eligible to apply for or receive a drivers licence, consume or purchase liquor, buy lottery tickets or play video lottery games. Critics of the bill say it is punitive, unenforceable and unlikely to result in any measurable reduction in substance abuse among youth. The Standing Committee on Social Development is not expected to deal with the private member's bill until September. For more info contact MPP Terence Young, 416-325-2367, Standing Committee Chair, Annamarie Castrilli (L), 416-325-8688, or Committee Clerk, Tonia Grannum, 416-325-3519.

Road safety bill becomes law

Bill 138, Comprehensive Road Safety Act, 1997 received royal assent on July 3. A key plank of Transportation Minister Al Palladini's anti-drinking/driving efforts, the act extends the licence suspensions for impaired driving to one year on the first conviction, three years on a second conviction and indefinitely on a subsequent conviction. To get their licences back, first time offenders must attend a mandatory education program; and second time offenders must undergo an assessment and education or treatment program at their own cost. Third time offenders may get an indefinite suspension reduced to 10 years by completing a remedial measures program and having an ignition interlock system installed on their cars. Fourth time offenders face a lifetime driving ban. Those caught driving while suspended could have their vehicles impounded for up to 6 months and be required to pay fines ranging from $5,000 to $50,000. Drinking driving convictions will stay on a driver's record for a minimum of ten years. Although part of the act has been proclaimed, the DWI sections will not come into force until an interministerial committee irons out the administrative details. For more information call Al Reid, Countermeasures Coordinator, Ontario Provincial Police, 705-329-6130 or the Ministry of Transportation, 416-235-3635.

Beer price war rages on

In an effort to increase market share and boost sales during the beer industry's busiest season, Ontario's two largest brewers, Molson and Labatt, have shaved $2 to $3 off the price of a 24-case of beer, with proportionate cuts to twelve- and six-packs. According to published news reports, the marketing offensive kicked off by Labatt on June 23, was welcomed by the Ontario Restaurant Association, an industry group that is also pressing for reduced beer taxes—which currently account for about half the consumer price of beer—and the elimination of minimum prices for alcohol products. Both initiatives were introduced as public health measures to promote moderate consumption and to discourage overconsumption among vulnerable groups—particularly young people who are price sensitive and at high risk of alcohol - related death, injury and poisoning. In recent years alcohol prices and taxes have come under increasing scrutiny from hospitality industry groups and free trade advocates who see such measures as unfair barriers to Ontario's multimillion beer market. For more information on alcohol price and taxation policy check out the backgrounders section on APN's web site or contact C. J. Helie at The Brewers of Ontario, 416-971-4094.

ARF merger planning continues

On June 14, the CEOs of the Addiction Research Foundation, Donwood Institute, Queen Street Mental Health Services and The Clarke Institute hosted a consultation with stakeholders across the province on the principles that will guide the mega merger of the four organizations. Some 125 people participated, over half through teleconference links set up at ARF community programs offices throughout the province. A number of key themes emerged from the discussion, among them: that ARF's provincial role and its work in health promotion, regional programming and policy research be preserved and enhanced and that a more open and inclusive consultation process be set up to ensure that concerns of community stakeholders, particularly those outside of the GTA, are taken into account in the planning process. The merger committee is now working on a governance plan to be submitted to the Health Services Restructuring Commission by the end of September. Another consultation with community stakeholders will likely be scheduled for the week of August 18. The committee is also considering soliciting written submissions on various aspects of the merger. No details yet on this possibility. For more info call Craig Smith, ARF Public Relations and Fundraising, 416-595-6876. For documents related to the merger visit APOLNET or ARF's web site at http://sano.arf.org.

News & Views

Upcoming Workshops & Meetings

The Alcohol Policy Network and the Association to Reduce Alcohol Promotion in Ontario will be delivering day-long workshops in Sault Ste. Marie and Barrie on September 24 and September 29 respectively. The sessions, organized in conjunction with the local public health unit and ARF Community Programs Office, will feature an introduction to alcohol policy and an overview of alcohol advertising controls. Comprehensive workshop packages, material tailored to local concerns and exercises to encourage audience participation will comprise the day. To register or for information on hosting a similar event at your organization or in your community, please contact Paula Neves, Alcohol Policy Network Coordinator, 1-800-267-6817.

The Alcohol Policy Network will be hosting a meeting of GTA Substance Abuse Coordinators to discuss the implications of the mega-city merger on substance abuse initiatives. Date and location to be determined. Stay tuned.

Public Education Campaigns

On June 18, Molson Breweries announced it would be sponsoring a new Recording Artists Against Drinking and .Driving (RADD) designated driver poster and PSA campaign featuring Canadian celebrities such as Tom Cochrane, Jann Arden, The Barenaked Ladies, RUSH and Ashley MacIsaac. According to a company news release, the posters, which were unveiled at a July 30 press conference, use an "upbeat, non-judgemental approach to target the youth market." They will be distributed in early fall to Molson live entertainment venues, university and college campuses, schools and liquor control boards. For more info contact RADD President, Carmi Cimicata, 416-243-1338 or Molson Breweries Corporate Communications Manager, Odette Gagnon, 416-966-6027.

On June 24, the LCBO, Association of Canadian Distillers, Crime Stoppers, RCMP, OPP and two provincial government ministries unveiled a joint initiative to combat liquor smuggling and bootlegging. The project will include a campaign to educate the public about the risks and costs of illegal alcohol, a Crime Stoppers reward of up to $1,000 for information on smuggling or the production and sale of illegal alcohol, and the secondment of two OPP officers to the LCBO's Investigative Services Unit. For more info contact Chris Layton, LCBO Media Relations Coordinator, 416-864-6772.

Reader Exchange

In February 1997, the City of Windsor passed bylaw #5900 requiring all alcohol servers in the city to complete the Smart Serve Program available from the Hospitality Industry Training Organization of Ontario and the Alcohol Server Refresher Training Program offered by the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit. Staff are currently doing a needs assessment with servers and owners from a variety of licensed restaurants, and collecting information on existing server refresher training materials. If you have any contacts or sources of information that may be useful in the development of Windsor's Alcohol Server Refresher Training Program, please contact Jacqueline Gahagan, 519-258-2146 ext. 278.

Useful Resources

The Street Lifestyle Study presents the results of a recently completed national study of out-of-the-mainstream youth. Prepared by Tullio Caputo, Richard Weiler and Jim Anderson for the Office of Alcohol, Drugs and Dependency Issues, Health Canada. For a copy call Health Canada Publications, Tel: 613-954-5995.