Recent progress in alcohol policy in China, 2002-2010

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.