A national survey conducted by Vital Strategies, an international public health organization with an office in Brazil, reveals that 61% of Brazilians support taxes to reduce alcohol consumption, and 62% agree that price increases would promote a reduction in consumption.

The study, carried out from March to April 2024 across all regions of Brazil, shows that 77% of Brazilians believe the government is responsible for addressing alcohol-related harm, and 78% are willing to sign petitions in favour of implementing policies to address the problem.

Among Brazilians, 93% recognize alcohol consumption as a concern. Based on the survey data, Vital Strategies is launching the “Want a dose of reality?” campaign in Brasília to raise awareness among parliamentarians about the importance of selective taxation to reduce alcohol consumption.

Vital Strategies operates in more than 70 countries, promoting public health policies and advocating in Brazil for the regulation of selective taxes on alcohol with rates high enough to impact prices and reduce consumption. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), alcohol is responsible for more than 3 million deaths per year worldwide.

The survey, which has national representation, indicates that 77% of Brazilians consider addressing alcohol-related problems a government responsibility. It also revealed that 78% would be willing to sign a petition in favour of implementing policies on the subject. Alcoholic beverages are perceived as easy to buy by 93% of respondents, with 72% purchasing them in supermarkets and 24% in liquor stores. Moreover, 67% consider alcohol relatively cheap.

In terms of additional policies, 94% believe educating young people about the harms of alcohol is very important, while 85% support warning labels on alcoholic products. A significant portion of the population (84%) thinks alcohol laws are poorly enforced, and 76% favour measures to reduce consumption. Another 66% support raising the legal drinking age, 58% advocate banning advertising on TV, radio, and social media, and 57% favour reducing the hours when alcohol can be purchased and consumed. Additionally, 58% believe alcohol companies should take responsibility for the harm caused by drinking.

Pedro de Paula, General Director of Vital Strategies Brazil, states, “Adopting a mixed taxation system with sufficiently high rates to discourage consumption has the potential to bring Brazil in line with global best practices for reducing alcohol-related deaths and injuries. Tax reform has the potential to save lives. If we promote a 20% reduction in alcohol consumption, it is estimated that it will be possible to preserve between 15,000 and 20,000 lives per year in the country.”

The “Want a dose of reality?” campaign, launched by Vital Strategies and ACT Health Promotion, aims to sensitize parliamentarians in Brasília, especially considering the discussions for the regulation of the Tax Reform, which proposes selective taxation on alcoholic beverages. The campaign is based on the study and presents strong images of people impacted by the harm caused by alcohol consumption, accompanied by captions such as “Alcohol is one of the biggest causes of breast and colon cancer – Parliamentarian, if alcohol causes deaths, it has to pay more taxes” and “Alcohol increases violence against women and children – Parliamentarian, if alcohol generates tragedies, it has to pay more taxes.”

The campaign will be visible for 30 days on out-of-home media such as billboards and panels at Brasília airport, access roads to the Esplanade of Ministries, Central Bank, and National Congress, as well as the Pontão do Lago Sul Circuit. The pieces will also be displayed on digital media (Facebook and Instagram) and programmatic media on news sites and political portals. A website (dosederealidade.org.br) supports the campaign and provides survey data, showing the harm of alcohol to the health and lives of Brazilians.

The initiative is part of Vital Strategies’ RESET Alcohol project, which brings together governments, civil society, academic institutions, and global public health leaders to promote the three “best practices” of the World Health Organization’s SAFER package to reduce the social and health harms of alcohol: increasing alcohol taxation, regulating availability, and restricting marketing.

Find more from dosederealidade.org.br (Brazil, June 2024)