3078.0: Monday, November 13, 2000: 2:30 PM-4:00 PM

David vs. Goliath: Public Health Efforts to Counter the Alcohol Industry

Alcohol problems constitute a worldwide public health crisis, particularly among young people. In response, public health researchers and activists have developed and tested prevention policy interventions focusing on the alcohol environment – the economic, social, political, and physical conditions that increase the risk across populations of alcohol-related violence, injury, and disease. Implementation, however, faces a formidable barrier – the powerful opposition of the alcohol industry. This session includes four presentations that unmask the industry’s tactics that contribute to dangerous alcohol environments and block meaningful alcohol policy reform. The session includes examinations of industry practices and public health responses at the local, national and international The session will examine alcohol industry marketing strategies that target alcoholics, heavy drinkers and young people, juxtaposing the advertising messages with the real consequences of alcohol use; analyze the spread of the global alcohol industry and recent efforts by public health activists and researchers to build an international public health response; examine the wine industry’s potent misinformation campaign regarding the "French Paradox", promoting wine as a health elixir despite recent reports from France that alcohol constitutes a public health crisis; and describe local efforts to counter alcohol industry marketing practices. At the end of the session, participants will be able to: (1) identify key alcohol industry marketing and political strategies at the local, state, national, and international level that promote unhealthy alcohol environments; and (2) describe at least four public health prevention strategies to counter the industry
See individual abstracts for presenting author's disclosure statement.
Learning Objectives: Refer to the individual abstracts for learning objectives
Moderator(s):Diana Conti
2:30 PMDeadly persuasion: Alcohol advertising and addiction
Jean Kilbourne, EdD
2:50 PMOffsetting the economic power of the alcohol industry: Community efforts to counter the effects of alcohol advertising
Diana Conti
3:10 PMSpanning the globe: NGO’s countering the spread of the global alcohol industry
David Jernigan
3:30 PMThe Flip Side of French Drinking: Unmasking the "French Paradox"
Hilary Abramson
Sponsor:Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs
Cosponsors:Community Health Planning and Policy Development; Environment; Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Caucus of Public Health Workers; Medical Care

The 128th Annual Meeting of APHA