Alcohol industry afraid of losing their health image, adopts new and offensive strategies.

The WSJ article makes reference to the fact that recent research has put question marks with the belief that light drinking of alcohol is good for your heart. At the same time evidence is building up around alcohol use as a risk factor for several forms of cancer. This threatens the industry strategy over the last years to portray alcohol as a health product.

Read the full article here.

The article also gives examples of shifts in recommendations with regard to “safe drinking limits” in a number of countries, like the UK, the US, South Korea and Australia. This has happened parallel to the development of the Global Alcohol Strategy by the World Health Organization, something that “made us fear for our lives” according to a statement by Mitch Ramsey, a former executive officer at SAB Miller in South Africa.

Mr. Ramsey confirms to the Wall Street Journal what is well known to the readers of ADD Resources, namely that the alcohol indistry has tried to intercept an alcohol policy in Malawi that would threaten the interests of SAB Miller and other multinational beer producers.

The Malawian case is, however, not closed as the draft National Alcohol Policy is awaiting final approval by the President and the Cabinet.