Editorial

The beverage alcohol industry's social aspects organizations:
A public health warning

This is a special and extended issue of The Globe. In a previous Globe (No. 1 2001) we reported that "A disturbing contemporary trend is the growing importance of so-called 'social aspects' organisations. The evaluation of the first European Alcohol Action Plan identified the growing influence of the alcohol industry, as well as its more aggressive approach to marketing, as an obstacle to the implementation of the plan. Increasingly, the influence of the alcohol industry is exercised through social aspects organisations. These are created by the beverage alcohol industry to promote its interests, but are often presented to the public as impartial and objective bodies whose sole concern is to tackle the problems of alcohol misuse.

These organisations appear to have become a major influence on policy making at international as well as national levels. Compared to most NGOs, social aspects organisations command huge financial resources and, next to Government, they may well be the principal source of funds for alcohol education and research. This provides a strong basis on which to influence public policy on a range of issues.

The economic importance of the alcohol industry provides social aspects organisations with regular access to policy makers in Government and facilitates its ability to resist public health and safety policies which it regards as against its interests.

The hostility of the alcohol industry and its social aspects organisations to the European Alcohol Action Plan, and to the scientific research that underpins it, is a matter of record. While sometimes finding it convenient to speak the language of science and even to publish carefully selected 'research', they have made repeated attempts to discredit basic scientific findings. For example, in 1995 the Portman Group offered financial inducements to academics to write anonymous attacks on 'Alcohol Policy and the Public Good', the book written by Professor G. Edwards and his colleagues to provide the scientific rationale of the WHO European Alcohol Action Plan.

Governments have a responsibility to safeguard the integrity of the policy making process and the independence and objectivity of educational programmes. They should ensure that international bodies such as the World Health Organisation are allowed to do their work free from undue political pressures exerted on behalf of commercial interests. Nationally and internationally, steps should be taken to prevent the alcohol industry from gaining the dominant position in the field of prevention and research in alcohol problems. Governments should ensure that NGOs receive adequate financial support to perform their functions whilst allowing them to retain their independence and their freedom to speak in the public interest. Governments should also be aware that the independence and credibility needed by NGOs to be socially useful will be seriously compromised if, for want of an alternative, they are forced to seek financial support from the alcohol industry.

The dangers of excessive alcohol industry influence on policy making are particularly obvious in relation to alcohol and young people."

It is for these reasons The Globe is pleased to publish a full version of Eurocare's recent critique 'The Beverage Alcohol Industry's Social Aspects Organizations: A Public Health Warning.