Norway

IOGT Norway has referred to the AWARH in a press release published by various regional newspapers as “a good opportunity to roll up our sleeves and take a stand for alcohol policy measures”. Despite Norway having a long history in alcohol policy, where taxation and marketing restrictions are key elements, these measures have been recently put under pressure, with recent increasing trends in alcohol consumption among young people, especially in the major cities. Another threat is represented by the increased normalization of alcohol within our society, in terms of when, where, and how we drink. In the press release, IOGT mentions the European Commission’s Beating Cancer Plan, released in February 2021, and the need to ensure that active measures to reduce total alcohol consumption are put on governments’ agendas.

Hanne Cecilie Widnes, Secretary General, and Svend Arne Hokstad, Policy Advisor: “It is particularly worrying that after a time of reduced consumption among young people, we are now seeing an increase in consumption among them. This is especially true in Oslo and the other major cities. At the same time, we are seeing an ever-increasing normalization of alcohol in society - when we drink, where we drink and how we drink. We see that the regulations in alcohol policy are put under constant pressure.”