ALCOHOL CONTROL POLICY IN LITHUANIA DRUG, TOBACCO AND ALCOHOL CONTROL DEPARTMENT
LITHUANIAN PECULIARITIER OF ALCOHOL CONCUMPTION
Total adult per capita consumption of alcohol by Baltic countries (1990 2016) SOURCE: WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (2017), EUR/RC67/8 PROGRESS REPORTS
Pure alcohol consumption among adults and persons (age 15+), in liters per capita per year, official statistics 16 14 12 13.5 11.5 14.7 14.7 14.5 14.2 14 12.5 12.6 12.4 12.1 12 13.2 11.30 10 8 6 4 2 0 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016* adult per capita aged 15 +
Liters of unrecorded alcohol Liters of recorded alcohol Comparison of total unrecorded alcohol per capita consumption (+15 years) when unrecorded alcohol estimate is used while combining mortality from poisoning, alcoholic liver disease and the overall indicator of alcohol-related mortality 1.6 16 1.4 14 1.2 12 1 10 0.8 8 0.6 6 0.4 4 0.2 2 0 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Officially recorded total alcohol per capita consumption among the total population aged 15 years and older 0 Officially unrecorded total alcohol per capita consumption among the total population aged 15 years and older according to mortality from alcoholic liver disease and accidental alcohol poisoning Officially unrecorded total alcohol per capita consumption among the total population aged 15 years and older according to mortality from alcohol-induced causes
LESSONS LEARNT Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do. (Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
Implemented alcohol control measures (1) Lithuania applies a licensing system for alcoholic beverages (licenses for production, retail trade and wholesale of alcoholic beverages are issued). Prohibition of home-made alcoholic beverages (except for home-made production of alcoholic beverages of natural fermentation with etil alcohol concentration not exceeding 18 percent of alcohol concentration, and for beer - 9,5 percent only for personal use of natural persons); Setting of places, where trade is prohibited (in places of custodial settings, police, health care, education establishments and areas thereof, from vending machines, at retail establishments which are not totally isolated from living places Setting of the minimum age to buy alcoholic beverages Prohibition to persons younger than 18 (till 2018) years of age to use or possess alcoholic beverages, Prohibition to sell alcoholic beverages to intoxicated persons; Alcohol beverages sale prohibition at night time (8 p.m 10 a.m) in the shops (till 2018) Reduction of alcohol use through taxation: Increase of Excise duty on alcohol
Prohibition to sell alcohol on September 1st. Implemented alcohol control measures (2) Advertising of alcoholic beverages is limited in the radio and TV programmes during the daytime. Advertising of alcohol allowed only at night time on TV and radio (till 2018) Prohibition to keep open bottles, cans with alcohol inside the vehicles. From the 1st of November 2016, it is mandatory pregnancy health warning label on all alcohol products. The bottle or another package should be labeled with a graphic warning about the harm, caused to pregnant women by alcohol. Since November 1, 2016 it was prohibited to organize competition, lottery related with possibility to obtain or use alcohol. It was profibitited for legal enteties to give alcohol beverages as lotery prizes, gift, or anything of value conditioned upon the purchase of an alcoholic beverage. It was banned to declaire/announced about the reduction of price of alcoholic beverages
Adopted alcohol control policies measures, 2016 Increase in excise tax: For beer 112 %, vine -92-111 %, strong alcohol 23 %. This increased final price of beer by about 14 euro cents, vine about 53 euro cents, other strong drinks by about 72 euro cents. Ban to sell alcohol in fuel stations enforced since 2016. BAC for novice drivers, professional drivers and motorbike drivers 0 promilles. Special foundation to promote healthy lifestyle with allocation of alcohol taxes.
RESULTS (1) VINE SALES AND EXCISE TAX REVENUE: 01.01.2016 01.11.2016 360 715,HLT 18 516 thsd Euro 01.01.2017-01.11.2017 316 990, HLT (-12%) 27 943 thsd Euro (+51%) INTERMEDIATE PRODUCTS SALES AND EXCISE TAX REVENUE: 01.01.2016-01.11.2016 90 057,HLT 11 353 thsd Euro 01.01.2017 01.11.2017 58 209,HLT (-35%) 8 832 thsd Euro (-22%) SPIRIT DRINKS AND ETHYL ALCOHOL SALES AND EXCISE TAX REVENUE: 01.01.2016-01.11.2016 110 682,HPA 149 100 thsd Euro 01.01.2017-01.11.2017 109 099,HPA (-1,4%) 165 772 thsd Euro (+11,2%)
RESULTS (2) BEER SALE AND EXCISE TAX REVENUE: 01.01.2016 01.11.2016 13 852 652,HLT 1% 46 023 thsd Euro 01.01.2017-01.11.2017 12 022285,HLT 1% (-13,2%) 73 841 thsd Euro (+60,4%)
Joint measures to fight against smuggling of alcohol and tobacco Increase in excise duties usually means a risk of intensification of illegal trade. This aspect has always to be evaluated in advance and appropriate situation control measures have to be foreseen. One of them a close cross-border cooperation among control authorities. In the Baltic states, tax and customs administrations effectively cooperate in implementation of coordinated action plans.
Main amendments of the Law on alcohol control, 2017 The main aim of amendments (from 01.01.2018) is to protect public health, particularly among young people, by reducing alcohol consumption and alcohol related harm: ban on alcohol advertising (with exceptions to name and type of the beverage, the name of the producer, the trademark (brandname), country of origin, geographical region of origin, ethanol content, labeling information, price in sales points, on producers and sellers websites); raising the minimum legal drinking/purchasing age to 20; person selling alcohol will have a duty to ask for ID, unless the buyer is clearly an adult under the age 25. to restrict hours (in the morning andevening) of alcohol sale: will be prohibited to sell alcohol beverages from Monday to Saturday until 10:00 and from 20:00 and on Sundays until 10:00 and from 15:00. This prohibition will not apply to alcohol beverages sol on tap for local use in catering establishments places.
NEXT STEPS IMPACT ASSESMNET and DECISION ON: retail sale of alcoholic beverages only from specialized shops, prohibition of alcohol internet sale