The IOGT International publication, THE GLOBE, No. 1, 1995, published a report
on the controversy over the World Health Organization report, ALCOHOL POLICY
AND THE PUBLIC GOOD, prepared by a group of experts headed by Griffith Edwards
(which replaces the "purple book" on alcohol policy, ALCOHOL CONTROL POLICIES
IN PUBLIC HEALTH PERSPECTIVE, produced by Kettil Brunn and others in 1975).
The controversy concerns the criticism  of the new WHO report by the Portman
Group, a PR/lobbying organization funded by the alcohol drink industry.  THE
GLOBE article summarizes an investigative report by Leonard Doyle in the news-
paper, THE INDEPENDENT, which claims that the Portman Group offered two
thousand pounds and expenses to various academic drink experts to attack the
report by Griffith Edwards and others.   One of those approached (Nick Heather)
revealedwhat the Portman Group had done.  I should add that all that I know
about the controversy in what I read in THE GLOBE article.
 David Fahey (Miami) [log in to unmask]