SABMiller Welcomes WHA Adoption of Global Strategy to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol

The WHO Strategy covers ten alcohol policy areas including health services; community action; drink-driving; availability and marketing of alcohol; pricing and illicit or informally-produced alcohol.

24 May 2010 --- SABMiller, one of the world's largest brewers, cautiously welcomed the 63rd World Health Assembly's decision to adopt the World Health Organisation's Global Strategy to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol in Geneva (‘the Strategy').

SABMiller participated in the World Health Organisation's consultation process, which led up to the drafting of the Strategy. The process included governments, brewers and other producers, NGOs and health professionals who helped to identify a range of recommendations that could be used to reduce the harmful use of alcohol.

SABMiller has a history of discouraging irresponsible drinking in its markets of operation. It is committed to working with governments, NGOs and other stakeholders to address the harm caused by the minority of people who drink to excess, drink while under age, or drink and drive. SABMiller has a number of effective programmes and campaigns in place across all of its regions of operation to play its part in combating these problems.

The WHO Strategy covers ten alcohol policy areas including health services; community action; drink-driving; availability and marketing of alcohol; pricing and illicit or informally-produced alcohol.

SABMiller is supportive of a number of the policy options the Strategy recommends, in particular increasing the capability of health professionals in regard to identifying and treating patients with alcohol problems, noting that that the WHO's expertise in the area of public health is unparalleled.

The group also fully endorses the recommendations made to prevent drink-driving and agrees with the WHO's approach to dealing with the public health impacts of illicitly- produced alcohol.  The WHO estimates that nearly half of alcohol consumed worldwide is in the informal market1.   However, SABMiller is unconvinced there is sufficient evidence to support policy options such as minimum pricing and high excise taxes that may result in unintended, negative public health consequences which stem from the growth of the illicit alcohol market.

Kristin Wolfe, Head of Alcohol Policy from SABMiller, said "We welcome the World Health Organisation's development of a Strategy that offers health officials a menu of policy options to prevent the harmful use of alcohol, rather than suggesting every policy choice would be appropriate for every country.  Governments need policy flexibility to respond effectively to alcohol-related harm in their local circumstances.  We look forward to continuing to work with governments and others to support the appropriate implementation of the Strategy and offer our expertise."