Population and Social Health Research Program, Griffith Health Institute, Gold Coast, Qld, Australia; School of Medicine, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Qld, Australia.
Addiction. 2014 May;109(5):711-9. doi: 10.1111/add.12495. Epub 2014 Mar 4.
In response to the dramatic increase in alcohol-related problems in Lithuania, policy measures, including alcohol advertising and availability restrictions combined with taxation increase, were implemented in 2007-08. Simultaneously, a full alcohol advertising ban was adopted to take effect from 1 January 2012. Therefore, the alcohol industry responded with extensive lobbying aiming to revoke this ban, and ultimately they succeeded at the end of December 2011.
To document and analyse actions of stakeholders and events during the alcohol advertising ban cancellation process in Lithuania.
Policy analysis includes a development of event time-line, description of key stakeholders' actions and a review of policy context.
The alcohol industry in Lithuania used similar tactics as the tobacco industry globally, such as creating strong and diverse opposing groups. The industry successfully exerted pressure to change alcohol control legislation, while non-governmental organizations had the important role of a watchdog, blunting industry's efforts. Unequal power distribution made it difficult to withstand combined local and international lobbying to cancel the ban.
Given the global nature of the alcohol industry, there is a need for international regulation to limit the influence of vested interests on national lawmaking.
为应对立陶宛酒精相关问题的急剧增加，2007-08 年实施了包括限制酒精广告和供应以及提高税收在内的政策措施。同时，还通过了全面禁止酒精广告的禁令，自 2012 年 1 月 1 日起生效。因此，酒精行业进行了广泛的游说活动，旨在废除该禁令，并最终于 2011 年 12 月底成功。
记录和分析立陶宛取消酒精广告禁令过程中的利益相关者的行动和事件。
政策分析包括制定事件时间表、描述主要利益相关者的行动以及审查政策背景。
立陶宛的酒精行业采用了与全球烟草行业类似的策略，例如创建强大而多样化的对立团体。该行业成功地对酒精控制立法施加压力，而非政府组织则发挥了监督作用，削弱了行业的努力。权力分配不均使得难以抵御来自当地和国际的联合游说，以取消禁令。
鉴于酒精行业的全球性，有必要进行国际监管，以限制既得利益对国家立法的影响。
