Almost two-thirds of Czech adults believe that there should be stricter regulation of alcohol in the Czech Republic, according to a survey commissioned by the Minister of Health think tank, released earlier this week.
Most respondents would support a ban on the promotion of alcoholic beverages at events for young people, restrictions on alcohol advertising and sales at petrol stations and vending machines, and lifting the tax exemption for still wine.
The survey was conducted by the Behavio company in April with 1,000 respondents.
“The public response was very positive,” the think tank’s director Katerina Hellebrandova told CTK. “A lot of people perceive (alcohol) consumption as problematic. Measures such as limiting advertising and selling times, setting excise tax and others actually had huge support. Certainly, it cannot be said that Czechs are as keen to keep alcohol flowing as it may seem in the long term. On the contrary, they would be in favour of introducing some restrictions.”
A total of 63% of people think that current regulations are insufficient and should be stricter, while more than a quarter consider it sufficient, and one-tenth think it is already strict enough or too strict.
Experts suggest a similar approach to alcohol as to tobacco. They recommend restrictions on advertising on the Internet, in the media and outdoors, a ban on advertising at sport and culture events and competitions for children and young people, compulsory health warnings on bottles and cans, regular indexing of excise tax, restrictions on sales at petrol stations, in vending machines, around schools and at night, and the abolition of the tax exemption for still wine.
“Our goal for the Minister of Health think tank is not to halt (alcohol) consumption overnight and ban people from drinking. On the other hand, it must be said that alcohol is a poison that has carcinogenic effects,” said physician Tomas Sebek, founder of the think tank.
Nearly four-fifths of respondents would support a ban on alcohol promotion at events for minors. Almost three-quarters of adults would restrict TV and radio adverts for alcoholic beverages to the nighttime. 72% would restrict advertising on the Internet and seven in ten in outdoor public spaces.
Alcohol sales at petrol stations and vending machines should be restricted, according to 63% of respondents, and the same share of people would ban alcohol advertising at culture and sports events. Moreover, 54% of respondents are in favour of abolishing the tax exemption for still wine, and a half of those polled would favour mandatory health warnings on alcohol labels.
A total of 47% of people would have the excise tax indexed on a regular basis, while 39% of adults agree with limiting night sales of alcohol. These two measures were strongly opposed by 11% of respondents, while there was less resistance to the other measures.
According to the survey results, one-fifth of Czechs drink a couple of times a week, and about one in fourteen respondents drink almost every day. Most people drink up to seven glasses a week, and one-tenth eight to 13 glasses. Men are more likely to drink, while young people under 24 drink less often than the rest.
Respondents most often connected alcohol with celebrations, fun, stress relief and relaxation. Negative associations with alcohol are less frequent, with university graduates and people under 34 having more negative associations, including health risks, loss of self-control, addiction, violence, accidents, but also pressure from others to drink alcohol.
People consider drinking during pregnancy and the effects on child development, addiction and liver damage to be the biggest risks. Half of adults cited heart and blood vessel diseases, cancer, mental disorders as well as memory and learning disorders, and damage to the digestive system. Nine out of ten see the problem in drunk driving accidents, eight out of ten in the negative impact on the family and domestic violence, and seven out of ten in crime.
More than a half of those polled were aware of the increased costs of health and other services as the consequences of excessive drinking. According to the study, the Czech Republic loses up to CZK 50 billion annually due to alcohol, Sebek added.
