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The game the alcohol industry played with the Dutch National Prevention Agreement

12 March 2024

The game the alcohol industry played with the Dutch National Prevention Agreement In 2018, Paul Blokhuis (then State Secretary of Health, Welfare and Sport) announced the National Prevention Agreement with the aim of a healthier Netherlands in 2040 by reducing smoking, obesity and problematic alcohol use. A total of 70 partners joined the agreement.

An important aspect of this agreement was that partners that had a commercial interest in the production and sale of alcohol, and groups that represented health interests, were expected to work jointly on a so-called Alcohol Table on the topic of reducing problematic alcohol use. The health organizations had reservations from the start about this approach and these reservations have proved to have been justified.

In 2022, the joint consultations ended without progress and Blokhuis’ successor Maarten Van Ooijen now meets the health and industry groups separately.

In this blog, Wim van Dalen (photo), director of the Dutch Institute for Alcohol Policy STAP, explains in broad terms why the joint Alcohol Table on tackling problematic alcohol use was unsuccessful. In particular, the role at the table of the alcohol industry is discussed. This information is partly based on documents requested on the basis of the Woo (Open Government Act) and on the basis of my own observations as a participant at the Alcohol Table.

Source: ias.org.uk.

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Dutch Institute for Alcohol Policy STAP
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The Netherlands
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