>Return-path: <[log in to unmask]> >Resent-date: Thu, 28 Oct 1999 05:42:26 -00 >From: Sidsel Eriksen <[log in to unmask]> >Subject: Re: drinking around the world: Denmark, in particular >Sender: Kettil Bruun Society <[log in to unmask] >[discussion prompted by discussion of new minimum ages for purchasing alcoholic drink, 15 in Denmark, if I recall correctly-DMF- > >Just a comment to the discussion on the particular high Danish alcohol consumption. > >Apart from earlier regulations on alcohol production and consumption in Denmark >primarily for commercial reasons, Danish alcohol policy has traditionally - at least since >the heavy taxation imposed on ‘snaps’ in 1917 and followed up by tax on beer in the >1920'th - been based on the states regulation on prices. Therefore the Danish alcohol >consumption has been relatively low - in periods even lower than the Swedish - until >the end 1950'th. Average consumption raised especially after 1972, when Denmark >became a member of the (European Communities) European Union. Since then Danish >alcohol consumption has been - very - liberal and high, because the impact of the >imposed tax has weakened when people earned more money. It is possible to talk about >a conscious - or even calculated - revitalisation of a Danish pretemperance drinking >culture (as described in the article on ‘The Making of the Danish liberal Drinking Style’, >in Contemporary Drug Problems Spring 1993.) > >Now Danes drink a average of 11-12 l. pure alcohol pr. person over 14 a year. This >level of consumption has been relatively constant in the last 10 years. Even in 1992 >when the tax on beer was reduced to a remarkable low level, it did not result in a rise >in beer consumption. And now everyone is talking about the brewers having problems >because of a decline in beer consumption in Denmark. > >Something has happened within the last 10 years in Denmark. Alcohol culture has >changed. The Danish population has become much more aware of alcohol problems in >the public discourse. Items which could not be discussed in the decenniums of 1970 >and 1980 now is looked at as a part of the responsible welfare state. For example the >Health Department in the last 10 years every autumn has had a campaign with various >alcohol related themes in the media. And it has suddenly become usual that industries >and state institutions develop ‘an alcohol policy’ to reduce drinking and alcohol >problems at the working places. (Beer has pr. tradition been available on Danish >working places, and a reduction of this situation would previously had caused problems >with the unions). And an other example is that in the main television series at 20.00 >sunday nights at the state television 1 the leading actor has become a successful and >active member of AA. The new political initiatives can of course be interpreted as a >states responsible respond to a ‘dangerous’ alcohol culture. But an other interpretation >is, that Danes are witness to a sort of self regulation of alcohol culture - a new dry >period promoted by health issue but not least by the fact, that the symbolic effect of wet drinking style has become less attractive. And this new trend makes a dryer alcohol policy possible. But still - these >new dry initiatives is commented in the public with apologetic expressions for example >when a mayor commented a proposal on reducing pubs in the Copenhagen and Aarhus, >the two Danish main cities: ‘we do of course not want to make Denmark a Swedish >prohibitionist state, but perhaps a regulation of the number of pubs could be >appropriate.’ /Sidsel