Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #116141

Donald W. Zeigler, PhD, Office of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse, American Medical Association, 515 N. State Street, 8252, Chicago, IL 60610, 312-464-5687, Donald_Zeigler@ama-assn.org

Public health measures reduce alcohol consumption, social problems, and related illnesses and deaths. However, under current and pending international agreements, these protections can be seen as constraints on trade and interfere with commercial priorities and profit opportunities of foreign businesses. For example state control of alcohol sales, restrictions on the number of liquor outlets in a community, limit on the alcohol content of beverages, controls on advertising, minimum age limits for the sale of alcoholic beverages can be construed as barriers to trade with severe penalties by international tribunals. Fear of reprisals will be a damper on further alcohol policies. Alcohol control advocates in the medical and public health communities are building awareness of the conflict between international trade agreements which give priority to commercial concerns over and public health.

Learning Objectives:

• At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) will be able to
• 1. Recognize the environment and complexity of trade agreements
• 2. Assess the potential impact on public health policies as constraints of trade
• 3. Define specific threats to alcohol control policies in the US and abroad
• 4. Articulate strategies to influence their government’s negotiations of agreements.

Keywords: Public Health Advocacy, Alcohol

Related Web page: www.cpath.org

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.