News On Beer

The decision of the Federal Court of Santa Catarina, which prohibits advertising of beer and wine before the 9:0 pm, must be analysed under two points of view: economic and combating early consumption of alcoholic beverages.

My conclusion is that the gains to reduce the exposure of children to these commercial drinks are widely superior to any drop in economic activity of beverage industries.

I know that the decision may be reviewed by way of appeal, which does not surprise me at all. Just remember the resolution issued by the national health surveillance agency (Anvisa) on the advertising of foods with high levels of sugar, salt and fat. Was vetoed in court, although only required phrases of warnings on products like chocolates, cakes, biscuits, snack foods and soft drinks filled.

This demonstrates that industries and their associations can often overwhelm larger interests, such as to reduce the incidence of obesity for children and adolescents, with their dire consequences: diabetes, hypertension, high rates of bad cholesterol (LDL) and molecules of fat (triglycerides).

In the case of beer and wine, like ostriches, bury our heads in the sand in front of the advance of alcoholism in Brazil.

On Thursday, the Federal University of São Paulo (Unifesp) launched portal (http://www.informalcool.org.br/), with relevant information for professionals, managers, consumers, family members or friends who consumes alcoholic drink.

On the site, is the program “Brazil drink less”, which, as the name makes clear, is a step by step to reduce alcohol consumption.

Drinking too much causes more problems than the evils to health-heart problems, liver, immunity, mouth, Airways etc. One of the most serious consequences, in advanced cases of alcoholism, liver cirrhosis, chronic process of inflammation and fibrosis, which leads to the loss of the organ.

But there are also serious behavioural problems: traffic accidents, with dead and wounded; violence in the home; inability to work; irritability and difficult social coexistence.

For all that, the abuse of alcohol is even more serious in children and youth. In many situations the growth process has not yet been completed, and that adds up, negatively, the inexperience and immaturity.

I will not detail what diseases derived from this kind of conduct cause of spending in the unified health system (SUS), and therefore to the pocket of all Brazilians who maintain this hospital structure via taxes. And private health plans, as it enters the account of general loss ratio-spending to service policyholders – that is divided among all who are part of a contract.

I do not believe that the postponement of the advertisement schedule and the ban of the Olympic sports to avoid that adults take a beer or glass of wine at the end of the week.

But they can, that Yes, decrease the advertising load on children, especially, still unable to separate the wheat from the chaff in this area.

I therefore hope that the bold and correct decision of the Court of Santa Catarina is not revoked. And that will serve as a stimulus to which legislators and rulers to express, by means of laws and ordinances, to stop a problem that grows rapidly, threatening the future (and present) of millions of Brazilian families.

If economic interests always prevailed exclusively, we would still have slavery and no maximum working hours, weekly rest and annual leave. So, we need to reconcile, in any productive activity, financial and societal interests. Simple as that.