244141 Recent progress in alcohol policy in China, 2002-2010

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Qing Li, MD, DrPH , Center for Social Medicine & STDs, Department of Sociology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL
Ziming Xuan, ScD, SM, MA , Department of Community Health Sciences, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA
Wei Hao, MD, PhD , Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Mental Health Institute, WHO Collaborating Research Center for Drug Abuse and Health, Changsha, China
Objectives: Increases in alcohol consumption and related problems have been observed during a rapid epidemiologic transition after the economic reform and opening of China in 1979. Scientific experts have showed increased interest in alcohol policies globally (Babor et al., 2010) and particularly in China (Hao 1995; Hao et al., 2005). We review and assess recent progress in alcohol policy in China. Methods: We examined six domains of alcohol policies surveyed in the 2004 WHO Global Status Report on Alcohol, including minimum purchase age, licensing of sales, drinking and driving, regulations on advertising, and health warning labels. We identified 5 articles published in Chinese from 2002 to November 2010, with key words China, age, sales, driving, advertising, alcohol, policy among PubMed and two Chinese databases. Findings: Two articles were descriptions of two national conferences in 2007 and 2008 organized by the International Center for Alcohol Policy, which is funded by the alcohol industry. Three described a law on restricting the volume of alcohol advertisements passed in 2004 and the implementation of a national law on the Blood Alcohol Content effective in 2009. Conclusions: This preliminary review found virtually no alcohol policy research being conducted in the world's largest alcohol market. The alcohol industry is active in organizing forums to promote potentially industry-favorable alcohol policies. We observed some progress in alcohol policies on advertising as well as drinking and driving since 2002, yet other domains did not have progress but need critical review and evidence-based development to respond to rapid epidemiologic transition.

Learning Areas:
Advocacy for health and health education
Public health or related public policy
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
To review and assess recent progress in alcohol policy in China

Keywords: Alcohol, Policy/Policy Development

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I originated and designed this study, conducted the search, translation, and analysis, and led its writing.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.