WHO Director General explains the need for an international response

At the Stockholm conference, The Globe's Andrew McNeill was invited to interview Dr Brundtland.

Commenting that her speech used strong language he began by asking Dr Brundtland what it was that makes her so angry about the present situation?

GHB The figures of deaths related to alcohol are shocking, and then in addition there are the uncounted examples of young peoples' lives being spoiled, sometimes permanently, by their own use of alcohol or by someone else's drinking. And the point is that the abusive patterns of drinking likely to do the most harm are not there just by chance. I used the term "manipulation" in connection with something that happened to me at the age of twenty when there was an attempt to make me drunk against my will. Something akin to this is now happening on a global scale. But the alcopops, the fruit flavoured drinks that disguise the taste of alcohol, are clearly targeted at those younger than twenty. And these are new products. They were not around when my children were growing up. They are an example of the new, extra pressures that young people face nowadays.

AMN Do you see this conference as a turning-point?
GHB I hope so, although of course there is also continuity. In my own country, alcohol policy and the dangers posed by alcohol to younger age groups have been on the agenda for many years. And now we have another Nordic country - Sweden -wishing to use its presidency of the European Union to address these questions on a bigger scale. We have to take an initiative to tackle these issues internationally because there is the problem of national governments' policies being made ineffective by the global nature of alcohol and the rise of new international media such as satellite TV and the internet.

AMN And in this initiative you see youth as the key group?
GHB Yes, both because they are the most vulnerable to harm and because they represent the future.

AMN But, politically, this can be a very difficult area for politicians and governments. How do you think they can be persuaded to take effective action rather than just engaging in cosmetic exercises?
GHB You're right to say that there are difficulties. As I said in my speech, a pro-health policy on alcohol frequently faces strong opposition. That is why there needs to be a strong popular movement against alcohol harm and why NGOs are so important. NGOs can reach and make alliances with groups and interests and so help to mobilise public opinion. There is good evidence on what works in relation to reducing alcohol harm in young people and in the society as a whole but we do need to create a political environment in which it becomes easier for politicians to act on this knowledge. The key is to increase awareness, to expose what is actually happening. I do not believe that most people or even most parents realise the extent to which youth is now being targeted by the alcohol interests. That has to be brought to light.

AMN In that connection, what role do you see the alcohol industry playing in relation to the initiative on alcohol and youth?
GHB The industry should co-operate with it. It should re-think its marketing strategies and we need to explore the means by which this can be achieved. It may be that the industry can put its own house in order. This needs to be tested. This possibility has not really been explored systematically on an international scale. It's time it was