Statistics:

Alcohol consumption:
From year 2005 to 2006 consumption overall dropped by 1 mio. ltr. pure alcohol.
There has been a cut down in every type of alcohol, beer, wine and spirits.
2006: Av. consumption per capita = 10.0 ltr.
2005: Av. consumption per capita = 10.4 ltr.

2006: Av. consumption per capita age 15+ = 12.1 ltr.
2005: Av. consumption per capita age 15+ = 12.8 ltr.

Bordertrade has been taken into consideration.

Traffic:
By march 1st 1998 BAC limit was lowered from 0.08% to 0.05%

In 2006 16.% of all accidents was alcohol-related resulting in 863 casualties. In 1992 it was 17%.
In 2006 there was 73 drink driving-death counting for 24% of all traffic death. 70% of drink driving-death the driver had an illegal BAC.

Youth:
The National Board of Health launched in june a new and yearly survej reporting young peoples ( 16-20 years) health habits, lifestile and every day life.

91,3% males and 89.5% females reports drinking alcohol. 18,5% among males drinks more than 21 units the last week and 11.5% of females drinks more than 14 units the last week.

18,5% males and 13,2% females reports having been under 13 years when drunk for the first time. The major part 70,7% males and 76,2% females was between 13 and 15 years being drunk for the first time.

Young people drinking patters are characterized by drinking many units in a single drinking occasion/binge drinking. 77% males and 72% females has been drinlking > 5 units per drinking occasion once the last month. 17,9% and 6,9% times or more the last month.

Amongst the observed health patters there are inequality amongst young people. Young in technical school or without education are the ones that smoke and dring the most, and exercise less. The same goes for young people of parents with a the shortes education.

Misuse:
160,000 people are alcohol dependent. To that comes 190,000 with a misuse/alcohol damage and thereby a comsumption, not characterices by dependence, but a consumption that leads to physical and/or social problems. Further to that 150,000 people have a large-scale consumption defines as drinking more than 21/14 units a week.

National servey on diet, smoking, alkohol and exercise
Beginning january 1st 2007 the minicipapioties took over the main responsibility of health promotion and prevention measures. The health of danes are going to be mapped, prevention measures being enhanced and the municipalities can compare own measures with others.

Number of smokers has decreased, but number of people with obesity and physical inactivity has incresed.

The National Institute of Public Healt has just started a comprehensive survej of Danes health lead by prof. Morten Grønbaek.

In the area of alcohol is planned a survej of environmental af genetic factors significense for alcohol consumption amongst danes. The results are going to be used in an investigation of consequenses of and changes I alcohol consumption amongs grown up danes for the development af unemployment, denpendence, cardiovascular diseases, cirrhosis and forms of canser.

National alcohol Action Plan
With the onset of the national BtG-alcohol policy group a work has just begun to promote a process the convice politicians to develop and implement an NAAP. The group consist of leading people in medicine, rehabilitation, prevention and civil servants. Comming from the state authorities, municipalities, resarch and NGOs.

The Alcohol in Europe report and the results of Bridging the Gap Project has been invaluable to the work that been going on in Denmark and for the work to come.

Regulations
New smoking law  Law on smokefree environtment.
By august 15th it is no longer permitted to smoke indoor, in general. In workplaces, institutions for children and young people, indoor facilities open for public, transport and taxi and hospitality business. Smoking cabins allowed.

Traffic
By april 18th 2007 0,25 mg alcohol in breath test is eq. to 0,05% BAC.
A zero limit for euphoriant were introduced

Business:
Carlsbergs and two other big reweries in Sweden are going to place warning labels on beers and other beverages with a alcohol content > 2.25% and produced to the swedish market.

Johan Damgaard Jensen
Danish Alcohol Policy Network
Sept. 10th 2007