Das Institut Suchtprävention ist über die Grenzen bekannt und geschätzt. Unser Kollege Andreas Reiter hatte kürzlich die Ehre und beantwortete für die finnische Fachstelle für Suchtprävention in Helsinki einige Fragen zum Thema Alkoholkonsum in Österreich. Daraus ist folgender Beitrag entstanden:
Hier das Originalinterview auf Englisch:
Concerning alcohol matters: which issues are now "hot topics" in your country?
1.5 million people in Austria (8.5 million inhabitants) have a problematic alcohol consumption, some 200,000 Austrians are prone to excessive consumption. Various studies mostly have one thing in common: Austria is always among the top three to five in the average consumption per capita. According to recent OECD figures, the annual consumption quantity is at 12.2 litres of pure alcohol. Thus, only in Lithuania people drink more.
I don’t know the Finnish numbers but, to my knowledge, it’s far below this average.
Perhaps there is a difference between Austria and Finland in the kind of alcohol that is drunk. Austrians drink more beer and wine, and in Finland they drink more spirits.
Of course, such figures sketch only part of the truth. To my knowledge, it is about the total volume of alcohol being sold. Therefore, our winter and summer tourists are certainly included in the calculation.
The average consumption in Austria declined over the last decades. We have a challenge with a group of people who are consuming massively and dependently. This group is suffering from addiction and determines the major part of this consumption.
Rashly, youths are becoming the centre of attention and the corresponding preventive or repressing measures are requested, like ban of alcohol in public places and such.
It’s not the Austrian youth who have a problem with alcohol. It’s the adults who drink abusively, who attract negative attention in traffic due to alcohol or who are dependent.
Austria is – in regards to alcohol – referred to as a "moist" country.
What kind of laws do you have in your country concerning alcohol matters, for example age limits,selling times; is there a monopoly in alcohol sales etc.
In Austria there are nine federal states with different youth protection laws. In all of them, general consumption of alcohol is forbidden under the age of 16 years.
In some states, all kinds of alcohol are allowed from 16 above, some allow only beer and wine between 16 and 18, while only for 18 years or older they allow distilled alcohol like vodka or schnapps.
Also the purchase and transfer are subject to this age limit.
The availability of alcohol in Austria is very high. Basically, there is alcohol on every corner and in every petrol station and all that almost around the clock. This is also criticized by some experts.
Mystery shopping results on alcohol show that about 80% of petrol station shops and retailers comply with these youth protection policies.
There is no monopoly for sale, it exists only partly in the manufacturing.
What is your country’s attitude towards minors’ use of alcohol?
Minors may buy alcohol here. From 16 on they may buy all kinds of alcohol in three out of nine states, in the remaining provinces only wine and beer until they’re 18 years of age.
The age of onset is approximately at 12 or 13 years. Almost every 14 year old is considered as adept at alcohol and was sometimes also drunk. Hence, that’s much earlier than the legal regulation.
In our experience, youth are simply testing the effect of alcohol, some then have excessive years ahead but finally maintain a roughly moderate consumption.
The public often reacts exaggerated to youthful drunkenness experience and finds a welcome target (group) in them to distract from their own abusive consumption. This often also blocks the way to discuss with young people about risk education and competences while being drunk and implementingeducational concepts.
Have you heard about Finnish alcohol culture? What kind of thoughts do you have about it?
I associate Finland and alcohol with high prices and limited availability. I think that Austrians would immediately go to the barricades when requesting central dispense stations which open only atcertain times.
I furthermore associate Finland with dark und hard winters which also has something cosy. There is the stereotype that corresponding hard and intensive alcohol consumption somehow belongs to it.
Acquaintances are regularly going to the Finland rally and bring (reportedly successful) litres of beer from Austria or Germany because locally it is too expensive to them.
Thestory goes that alcohol consumption is tending to extremes. Either – extremely – nothing at all or extremely much.
People also tell about the ‘Alcohol Party Ride’ from Helsinki to Tallinn.
Though, this all could be held true for Austria as well. We don’t have harsh winters but ‘Fasching‘ (carnival). We are not going to Tallinn but to the Czech Republic, Hungary or get us cheaper beer from Bavaria.
And personally, I got to know Finns that can deal very well with alcohol, who are pleasant and funny. Not sure if that corresponds to the standard :-)
Does your country take an example from another country's alcohol politics? Which one?
This is not known to me. Well, as a member of the UN and the EU one is embedded in their strategies.
Critics see the European alcohol policy moving towards control and repression. That is authoritarian and patriarchal. In practice, this can mean patronization or the censorship of ‘dangerous information’. Renunciation of fun (lust), risk reduction and abstinence are urged.
We could cite a concrete example that fits in here: In the state of Upper Austria the introduction of a legal alcohol limit for 16-18 year old youth was discussed. It was called off again before implementation. The proposals were between 0.2-0.5 blood alcohol level. 16 year olds can vote in Austria, they partially have work and earn money. They are starting with the driving license courses. Thus, they’re declared of age. On the other hand, one likes to generally criminalize youth with 0.2 alcohol level. This contradicts itself.
It’s not according to modern addiction prevention. I’d like to be seen as an active, confident, free and responsible citizen. The government should support me on this as much as possible, should provide general conditions and give priority to health promotion.
How much of an effect does the alcohol industry have in your country? How does it show?
Especially alcohol advertising really plays a major role and is omnipresent. Many athletes, especially in the fields of Alpine skiing or Nordic skiing, or winter sports in general, are sponsored by the alcohol industry, and used as role models.
At the same time they seek to – and also probably in accordance with their supply strategy –provide a diverse range of products. Which means enjoyable non-alcoholic beers or light beers. This is increasingly the trend.