Alcohol is 10 times more physically available than drugs – alerts Deputy Health Wojciech Konieczny. We have one store with alcohol per 303 residents, a per one pharmacy there are an average of 2.9 thousand. persons. The Ministry of Health wants to limit access to alcohol, but the resort of development is against, though admits, that some solutions are necessary.
In July 2024 year. Minister of Health Izabela Leszczyna announced, that a project law prohibiting the sale of alcohol at gasoline stations at night hours is ready and could begin to apply from 1 January 2025 year. No has received on one green light from the Team for programming of the government, which is directed by Minister Maciej Berek.
Deputy Health Minister Wojciech Konieczny at a joint session of the Parliamentary Health Committees and Economy and Development presented proposals for changes in the law on soberup and prevention of alcoholism. At times the resort has “consent” to the selected solutions, in other are still working .
Limits in the sale of alcohol. There will be further consultations
On Wednesday (8 January) a common sitting of the Parliamentary Committees of Economy and Development and Committee of Health discussed the proposals, that could affect the reduction of alcohol consumption in Poland. Members of the coalition and opposition were agreed, that solutions in this area are necessary. The problem, as always, however, there are solutions in the specific and the scope of those solutions.
Ryszard Petru (Poland 2050-TD) reminded of proposals of different solutions, which have appeared in this area in the public space. This includes.:
double verification of the age of the buyer – at the time of purchase and delivery on-.line
umiejscowienie wszystkich alkoholi i napojów imitujących alkohol w odpowiedniej strefie
rozszerzenie wymogów co do opakowań na wszystkie napoje alkoholowe (w tym piwo)
bezwzględny zakaz jakiejkolwiek reklamy napojów alkoholowych (obecnie dozwolona jest reklama piwa)
zakaz promocji typu 4+4, 12+12, because this encourages the consumption of large quantity of alcohol
the ban lottery or promotion, in which under the cap or label is information about the reward in the form of another can or bottle.
Deputy Health Minister Wojciech Konieczny confessed, that despite a significant decrease in consumption of alcohol in the last two years, the problem is still serious. Hence the initiative of the Resort of Health and the prepared in last year projects for changes in theAct on education in toxicity.
It is about the proposed: prohibition of alcohol sales in hours. 22-6 at gasoline stations, prohibition of advertising, segregated stands for sale, tightening punishment for breaking the prohibition of advertising, prohibition of bringing into circulation alcohol in form other than liquid, dispose of containers for alcohol and make those with capacity up to 300 ml only of glass or metal.
As reported, on this time the resort has “consent,” to enter the list of legislative work government to only regulating the appearance of packaging up to 300 ml and material, of which may be made (glass or metal), an obligation to verify each the age of the buyer in case of doubt and a prohibition on sale of alcohol in other form than liquid.
From both the law on advertising or on the prohibition of the sale of alcohol at night at petrol stations have still be the work of the programming government.
Concern has indicated that consumption of alcohol accounts for the risk of about 200 diseases, and our country is on 3. place in the EU for deaths due to psychiatric disease caused by excessive alcohol consumption. He also remarked that the costs of treatment of addiction have increased from 330 million £ in 2020 year to 816 million £ in 2023 year, a also on the 10% share of accidents with drunk drivers in general statistics.
As calculated by the deputy minister of health, in 2020 year the costs of drunk alcohol in Poland would be 93 billion £. This is among other things. of costs of health benefits, social benefits, crimes in resulting of alcohol consumption or lost GDP.
From both of the payoff from excise in 2023 year. highs 14 billion .
– Comparing the amount of excise and the estimated social-economic costs shows, by how much the costs of alcohol consumption are higher – he remarked.
He also alerted to the issue of economic and physical availability of alcohol. As he said, in 2023 the number of points selling alcohol was over 119 thousand.
– This means there is one point of sale per 303 residents. We have one shop of alcohol per 303 residents. For comparison there was one pharmacy on average of 2.9 thousand people. Alcohol is 10 times more physically available than medicines – the deputy MZ indicated.
Good practice and experience of other countries
Wojciech Konieczny referred to solutions, which have proven already in other countries.countries.
As he said, American studies have proved, that the most effective to restrict consumption of alcohol was a physical restriction, changing hours or fewer places of trade alcohol. Hence the proposal MZ to restrict sales at stations at night.
He also gave the example of Lithuania, which since 2018 has taken with good effect many measures, to restrict use of alcohol. The hours of alcohol sale have been reduced by 4 hours on weekdays and by 9 hours on sundays. This transformed into a decrease by 20 percent in the number of visits to SOR related to alcohol poisoning on sundays and by 11 percent. in over an whole week. The expected life length of men has increased by 7 years.
– Integrated alcohol policy has affected the sad consumption of alcohol per adult on average of liter of alcohol.Thenumberofroadcollisionshas also droppedby50proc.-the deputy minister pointed out.
Asappreciated,”realeffectscanbeachievedbyreducingeconomicandphysicalsalesofalcohol.Henceourproposalquitecomplex,goingin6directions.Andthat,torestrictthisplague,wewillsupport-he announced.
Whatwitheconomicfreedom?
Deputy MinisterDevelopmentandTechnologyMichalJarosreported,thatconsideringtheMZ proposal,thereisa needto payattentiontoeconomic freedom,whichprovidesalsoforhoursoftrade.
-Limitinghoursonstationsoffuelmaybetakenasun-equaltoothereconomicentities-he argued.
At the same timehe assuredthattheministryofdevelopmentwouldcooperatewiththehealthdepartmentonsomesolutions.-Insomeissuesweagree,andotherswediscuss- stated.
.
