Alcohol control enforcement in Lithuania

Gražina Belian, Deputy Director of Drug, Tobacco and Alcohol Control

Department

LithuaniaLithuania

Territory: 65 303 km2

Population: ~3 millions

Capital: Vilnius

Joined EU: in 2004

Neighbor countries: Belarus, Latvia, Poland, Russia

The consumption of pure alcohol (100%) Legally sold pure alcohol per capita (liters)

* 2011 – 11.9

2008 – The year of Temperance

2007-06-14 : Lithuanian Parliament announced the year 2008 as the year of Temperance

2008-01-09: Lithuanian Government adopted the Temperance year program

Core tasks of the Temperance year program :

- to make the public more aware of alcohol consumption and consequences

- spread temperance ideas

Critical changes

2007-2009 critical changes in the alcohol control policy:

• promotion commercials on radio and TV were limited and banned during daytime;

• excise duty on alcohol beverages was increased;

• liability for drunk driving was tightened (fines were increased, expropriation of transport means was introduced), the allowed concentration of alcohol in blood was lowered from 0.4 to 0.2 pro mille for novice drivers;

• in 2009 the time for sales of alcohol beverages was limited

• tax exceptions applied on small beer producers were abolished

Enforcement of alcohol control

Until the 1st of April 2011

Uncoordinated implementation by separate institutions

• Police Department• Food and Veterinary service• State tobacco and alcohol

control department • The Customs Department • Tax inspectorate • Municipal institutions

From the 1st of April 2011

Drug Control Department under the Government of the Republic of Lithuania and State Tobacco and Alcohol Control Service under the Government of the Republic of Lithuania were reorganized merging these two institutions

Drug, tobacco and alcohol control department

One of main tasks of The Department – enforce and organize enforcement of alcohol control measures

Alcohol control enforcement function

Control function

Independent together with function other control

institutions

• State interest representation in the causes

• Violation prevention• Licensing and authorization

control in municipalities

Control institutions supervision

- Methodical, informational support (explanatory work about legislation, operating manual case law dissemination

- Control coordination

- Control problems identification and offering measures to deal with them

Legislative proposals for improvement legislative drafting

Criminal offences committed by drunken

people

2011 – 5198

2010 – 5127

2009 – 5587

2008 – 5600

2007 – 5800

Accidents due to drunk persons fault

2011 – 505

2010 – 518

2009 – 637

2008 – 656

2007 – 616

343175

Violations of Alcohol Control Lawand Tobacco Control Lawdetermined by Drug, Tobaccoand Alcohol Control Departmentin 2012 I-III quarters

Violations of Alcohol Control Lawand Tobacco Control Lawdetermined by other institutionsin 2012 I-III quarters

2012 1st half Alcohol control law violations structure

Sales of alcohol beverages at nightAlcoholic beverages and tobacco product sales and storage without documents or documents without on-premiseAlcoholic beverages and tobacco advertisingSale of tobacco products to under-aged and sale of unitsThe purchase of alcoholic beverages violationsAlcoholic beverages and tobacco products at point of sale license incontinenceAlcoholic beverage labeling violationsOther violationsOutdoor alcohol advertising violationsThe sale of alcoholic beverages in banned area

Cooperation with NGO’s

• Signing of a contract with National tobacco and alcohol control coalition

• Signing of a contract with Lithuanian Youth Council

Signing of contract with NTAKK.A. Veryga, Z. Martinkus

Signing of contract with LYCŠ. Frolenko , Z. Martinkus

Thank you for your attention