THE NATIONAL PROGRAMME OF PREVENTION AND RESOLVING … · ing prevention and resolving of...

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THE NATIONAL PROGRAMMEOF PREVENTION AND RESOLVINGALCOHOL-RELATED PROBLEMS

Goals and Action Planfor the Years 2000-2005

Document adopted by the Council of Ministers on 26 September 2000

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Table of contents

I. INTRODUCTION ............................................................�.................. 5

II. PREMISES AND STRATEGIES OF THE 2000-2005 PROGRAMME .................................................. 7

A. Polish alcohol problems ...................................................................... 7B. Main strategies for action .................................................................... 9C. Systemic premises of the programme ................................................ 10

III. GOALS, METHODS AND PERFORMANCE INDICATORS � 14

IV. TASKS OF THE STATE AGENCY FOR PREVENTION OF ALCOHOL-RELATED PROBLEMS .��......... 21

V. SECTORAL TASKS OF THE CENTRAL ADMINISTRATION ............................................................................ 26

A. Ministry of National Education ........................................................ 26B. Ministry of Justice .............................................................................. 27C. Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration .............................. 30D. Ministry of Labour and Social Policy ............................................... 32E. Ministry of National Defence .......................................................... 33F. Ministry of Economy ......................................................................... 35G. Ministry of Transport and Maritime Economy ............................... 36H. Ministry of Finance ............................................................................ 36I. Central Customs Office ..................................................................... 37J. National Council for Radio and Television Broadcasting ............... 37K. Office for Protection of Competition and Consumers ..................... 38L. Voivodship Administration �� 38

VI. TASKS OF THE REGIONAL SELF-GOVERNMENTS............. 39

VII. TASKS OF THE LOCAL COMMUNITY SELF-GOVERNMENTS................................................................... 41

VIII. ANNEXES ....................................................................................... 44

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INTRODUCTIONThe formal basis for actions designed to address alcohol-related problems is

the Act on Upbringing in Sobriety and Counteracting Alcoholism of October 26,1982. The Act provides for two main forms of planning, organising and financingactivities connected with solving alcohol-related problems in Poland.

The first entails actions of the central- and the regional-level (further referredto as voivodship) administration defined in the form of the National Programmeof Prevention and Resolving Alcohol-related Problems whereas the second in-volves actions undertaken by the local community self-governments and definedunder the Local Community Programmes of Prevention and Resolving Alcohol-related Problems. Under the decentralisation of the system addressing alcohol-related problems, carried out in 1996-97 on initiative of the State Agency forPrevention of Alcohol-related Problems, the responsibility for the main tasksdefined by the aforementioned Act and a major part of funding allocated for thesetasks has been transferred to the local communities.

The National Programme premises along with sectoral tasks for 1994-95 havebeen formally endorsed by the Council of Ministers on November 29, 1994. OnAugust 13, 1996, the Council of Ministers adopted the action programme for1997-1999. The history and results of actions implemented under the NationalProgramme was presented in Reports on Implementation of the Act in the years1996, 1997 and 1998, which following sectoral consultations were accepted bythe Council of Ministers and passed on to the Parliament, where they were re-viewed positively and accepted by Deputies without reservations.

Through 1998 all of the National Programme tasks were carried out by theState central administration and the regional-level (Voivodship) government ad-ministration. On entry into force of the Act reforming the State administration,the former responsibilities of Voivodes were transferred to the voivodship self-governments. 1999 was the first year of implementing the National Programmeon voivodship level by the Voivodship Administrations.

On accepting the Programme premises, the Council of Ministers noted thatmore complete implementation of the Act on Upbringing in Sobriety and Coun-teracting Alcoholism required, among other things:

a) Acceptance in economic life that alcohol is a specific commodity, differ-ent from other products, in effect requiring special legal, administrativeand financial regulations allowing for a somewhat higher level of controlthan is applicable to other products in a market system.

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b) In social and political life giving priority to actions and decisions serv-ing prevention and resolving of alcohol-related problems, falling with-in the areas of responsibility of the health, education, labour and so-cial policy and the internal affairs ministries as well as the voivodshipand the local community level self-governments.

c) Ensuring systemic funding for the Programme through earmarked al-locations under the budgets of the health and other ministries, the Of-fices of the Marshals and through extrabudgetary funds collected bythe local community self-governments by way of fees for permits tosell alcohol.

d) Improving operational efficiency of State entities, associations and foun-dations involved in implementation of programmes of prevention and re-solving alcohol-related problems.

e) Improving the effectiveness of state controls over production and market-ing of alcoholic beverages.

These premises continue to be valid in drafting the 2000-2005 action plan.The fundamental objectives of the Programme are to prevention the emergenceof new alcohol-related problems, reducing the gravity of the existing problemsand increasing the resources necessary for addressing the existing problems. Thefundamental objectives and tasks of the National Programme of Prevention andResolving Alcohol-related Problems correspond with the Operational ObjectiveNo. 4 of the National Health Programme.

It should be noted that in the years 1992-1999 and 2000-2005 the EuropeanAlcohol Action Plan has been and continues to be implemented in the Region ofEurope. This programme is co-ordinated by the World Health Organisation and isbeing implemented under the auspices of the Council of Europe. Poland is active-ly involved in the programme and has been highly instrumental in drafting theprogramme continuation for the years 2000-2005. In drafting the Polish NationalProgramme an effort was made to integrate the Polish and the European strate-gies and action methods.

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PREMISES AND STRATEGIESOF THE 2000-2005 PROGRAMME

A. POLISH ALCOHOL PROBLEMSFollowing a period of rapid increases in the years 1989-92, when aggregate

per capita consumption reached 10-11 litters of 100% alcohol equivalent, theconsumption of alcohol in the late nineties declined to some 7-8 litters per capita.These estimates also cover unregistered consumption. There are also positive shiftsin the structure of consumption, with an increasing share of lower alcohol contentbeverages in total consumption. A negative development is the marked increaseof alcohol consumption by women and young people. Economic losses resultingfrom alcohol abuse are estimated in various countries at up to 5% of GNP. Polishattempts to estimate such losses for 1998 came up with an amount of some PLN25 billion annually, against fiscal revenues from the alcoholic beverages marketof some PLN 6.5 billion. Harm from alcohol abuse manifests itself in variousareas of the Polish reality. This cannot be avoided, but its magnitude and gravitycan be curtailed. The prime concerns relating to alcoholic consumption and abusein Poland currently include:

1. Self-destruction of persons with alcohol dependenceIn Poland there are some 600-700 thousand people with alcohol depend-ence, who suffer grave harm to their health leading to premature death.Dependence treatment centres had some 120 thousand patients registeredin 1998, of those some 20% women. During the nineties the effectivenessof dependence therapy improved fivefold, but due to shortages of person-nel and centres, effective forms of treatment were accessible to only 30%of registered patients. The first year of health service reform resulted inearly 2000 in a further 20-25% reduction in availability to treatment, com-pared with 1998.

2. Health problems of abusersSome 1.5-1.8 million patients seeking treatment for various ailmentsfrom specialists and in primary health care seriously abuse alcohol,although they are not alcohol-dependent. Because of this their treat-ment is less effective, leading to greater health damage and highertreatment costs for this group of patients. Polish doctors and nurses

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are still unprepared for applying the early diagnosis and short inter-vention methods, aimed at having the patients reduce or refrain fromalcohol intake. The system of financing health services that is beingcurrently developed does not provide funds for financing services ofthis nature.

3. Harm to young abusersSome 20% of Polish teenagers abuse alcohol in ways causing severe harmto their physical, mental and moral development. In recent years the situ-ation in this respect has worsened. In addition to the universal attractive-ness of alcohol to people, this development is spurred by very dynamicpromotion and greater availability of alcoholic beverages, higher consump-tion independence of young people and neglect on the part of parents andteachers, who have loosened control strings and ignore threats connectedwith drinking by their children and charges. The fundamental challenge isto involve parents and local communities in efforts of those responsiblefor carrying out school formative, including prevention programmes, anddevelopment of family prevention behaviours.

4. Domestic violence and other harm in families with alcohol problemSome 3 to 4 million people live in families in which, due to habitualinsobriety, there is violence, neglect, poverty, demoralisation and othernegative phenomena leading to stress, co-dependence and other person-al harm to family members. Surveys among wives of alcoholics indicatethat about 3/4 of them have experienced violence. The fundamental chal-lenges for the coming years include building up a system of counteract-ing domestic violence, developing psychotherapy programmes for alco-hol co-dependent persons and establishing socio-therapeutical centresfor children of alcoholics as well as organising and offering family con-sulting for families affected by alcohol problems. There is a particularshortage of such forms of assistance in rural communities and high un-employment/poverty areas.

5. Alcohol threat at workplaceInsobriety at work, despite improvement of the situation in recent years,continues as a frequent cause of accidents and reduced productivity. Em-ployers may be expected to take an increased interest in the coming yearsin prevention programmes relating to the work environment. Alcoholproblems present a particular challenge in such specific work environ-

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ments as public transport, police, the army, fire brigades, borderguards and similar.

6. Alcohol threat for public safetyParticular attention has to be devoted to such phenomena as drunken driv-ers and the accidents they cause, and also the link between intoxicationand common crimes, repeat crimes and crimes of violence.

7. Alcohol marketing law violationsThe gravest problems in this area relate to law violations connected withselling alcohol to minors, illegal trade in alcohol, alcohol advertising andpromotion. These lead to increasing the severity of the earlier listed risksand to disturbing the functioning of the legal system.

B. MAIN STRATEGIES FOR ACTIONEarlier Polish experience connected with implementing the National Programme

and experience of other countries indicate the usefulness of the following 12 strate-gies in addressing alcohol-related problems:

1. Administrative-fiscal policy reducing and changing the structure of alco-holic beverages consumption by adults.

2. Propagation educational programmes of school, family and communityprevention.

3. Improving availability and effectiveness of alcohol dependence and co-dependence treatment as well as intervention-corrective procedures forpersons abusing alcohol.

4. Improving effectiveness and availability of social-legal intervention andpsychological support programmes for counteraction domestic violence.

5. Supervising compliance with legal procedures of control over harmfulbehaviours of unsober persons (particularly drunken drivers, violence caus-ers and persons drinking at workplace).

6. Supervising compliance with legal procedures of control of trade in alco-holic beverages (particularly sale of alcohol to minors, advertising alco-holic beverages and illegal trade in alcohol).

7. Public education aimed at:� informing about the consequences of alcohol abuse and methods of pre-

vention harm to health,� promoting healthy life styles, sobriety and temperance,

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� promoting the programme among social leaders and rallying the sup-port of highly esteemed individuals at various levels of authority.

8. Training professionals in such sectors as health protection, education,welfare assistance, justice administration and local community leaders insophisticated forms of addressing the alcohol problems.

9. Supporting development of Local Self-government-level programmes forprevention and resolving of alcohol problems.

10. Studying and monitoring issues and resources in the area of alcohol prob-lems and analysing the economic and social costs.

11. Supporting actions of NGOs and self-help environments directed at pre-vention or reducing alcohol-related harm.

12. Increasing awareness as well as the ethical and legal responsibility of per-sons involved in the production and sale of alcoholic beverages, also en-suring strict quality control of such products.

C. SYSTEMIC PREMISES OF THE PROGRAMME1. It is advisable to enhance collaboration of government administra-

tion and local authorities of all levels to ensure a more effective Pro-gramme execution:

a) Units of the State central administration, guided by the principle of Statecomplementarity, should focus primarily on tasks falling outside the com-petencies of local communities and provide professional support to effortsundertaken by those communities. The primary role in this respect falls tothe State Agency for Prevention of Alcohol-related Problems, which car-ries out the tasks defined in the Act and co-ordinates implementation ofthe National Programme and reports on the results to the Council of Minis-ters. It also carries out the tasks assigned in the Act to the Minister ofHealth and is supported through co-operation with appropriate services ofrespective ministries, the Voivodes and the Voivodships Administrations(the regional level).

b) The voivodship self-government, acting through its plenipotentiary forresolving of alcohol-related problems and the co-operating voivodship-level services shall ensure co-ordination of implementation of the Voivod-ship Programme of Prevention and Resolving Alcohol-related Problemsconstituting an integral part of the National Programme, with substantiveand organisational support from the State Agency for Prevention of Alco-hol-related Problems. It also provides substantive and organisational sup-

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port to the local self-governments and NGOs active in the voivodshipin the field of addressing alcohol-related problems.

c) It is recommended to have the priority targets and action strategiesdefined in the Programme adopted as an integral part of the Voivod-ship Programmes of Prevention and Resolving Alcohol-related Prob-lems and included under the comprehensive voivodship developmentstrategy.

d) The local community self-governments, implementing the tasks defined in theAct through the Local Community Programmes of Prevention and ResolvingAlcohol-related Problems, obtain substantive and organisational support fromthe Voivodship Administrations and the State Agency for Prevention of Alco-hol-related Problems. In order to execute specific tasks they may form supra-local alliances and cooperate with county (or powiat -the intermediate self-gov-ernment level) institutions, such as the County Centres for Family Assistance.

e) NGOs and specialised institutions play a fundamental role in implement-ing the tasks defined in Programme on the central and the voivodship lev-el and as part of efforts undertaken by the local community self-governments(Local Community Programmes of Prevention and Resolving Alcohol-related Problems).

f) Government administration and local authorities work together with self-help groups for people with alcohol problems, lending them appropriatesupport and accepting their assistance.

g) The Council of Ministers:� annually, by Ordinance, defines the share of Voivodship and County coun-

cils in the funds earmarked in the state budget for implementation of theNational Programme of Prevention and Resolving Alcohol-related Problems,

� accepts the premises of social-economic policy presented in the form ofNational Programme of Prevention and Resolving Alcohol-related Problems,

� presents to Parliament an annual report on implementation of the Act onUpbringing in Sobriety and Counteracting Alcoholism.

2. Programme implementation requires development of the material, or-ganisational and substantive base through:

a) Extending the substantive and organisational assets of the State Agencyfor Prevention of Alcohol-related Problems co-ordinating implementationof the programme and the institutions working with in developing con-ceptual, methodological and organisational approaches.

b) Relying on the Plenipotentiaries of the Voivodship Administrations asspecialists to co-ordinate localised programmes of prevention and resolv-ing alcohol problems.

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c) Preparing and supporting implementation of Local Self-government-level programmes to prevention and resolving alcohol problems.

d) Supporting non-state entities with statutory mission of addressing al-cohol-related problems in material, educational and physical centresterms.

e) Implementing programmes of professional research on mechanisms ofemergence and resolving of alcohol-related problems and examining theeffectiveness of prevention and therapeutic efforts.

f) Increasing the number of specialists in various fields, professionally trainedfor addressing alcohol problems.

3. Programme implementation requires a stable and rational system offinancing implementation of statutory tasks:

a) The funds for financing the tasks of the State Agency for Prevention ofAlcohol-related Problems are reserved under the budget of the Ministry ofHealth as Chapter 8536: Counteracting alcoholism.

b) The State Agency for Prevention of Alcohol-related Problems drafts theproposed National Programme of Prevention and Resolving Alcohol-relatedProblems and a proposal of fund allocations for implementation thereof.

c) Resources for financing the tasks of individual ministers are reserved un-der their budgets.

d) Funds for financing the Voivodship Programmes of Prevention and Re-solving Alcohol-related Problems are reserved in budgets of individualvoivodships.

e) The state budget annually allocates 1% of revenues from the excise tax onalcoholic beverages for expenditures connected with implementation by theGovernment Administration and voivodship self-governments of the Na-tional Programme of Prevention and Resolving Alcohol-related Problems.

f) Legislative actions will be taken to allow for financing the voivodship-level programmes additionally with funds collected in fees from whole-salers of beverages with alcohol content of up to 18% by volume for thetrading permits issued by the Voivodship Administrations, after amend-ment of Article 9 of the Act on Upbringing in Sobriety and CounteractingAlcoholism.

g) The local community level programmes of prevention and resolving alco-hol problems are financed with:� own resources of local communities,� supplementary resources collected by local communities as fees for the

use of permits to sell alcoholic beverages.

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h) In order to implement common goals in prevention and resolving al-cohol problems, local government units may enter into agreementsdefining the rules for financing the jointly implemented actions.

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i) Appropriate agencies of the Government administration and the voivod-ship self-governments, in drafting budget proposals for each year, iden-tify in their expenditures the resources required for implementation ofthe National Programme of Prevention and Resolving Alcohol-relatedProblems.

GOALS, METHODS ANDPERFORMANCE INDICATORS

Target 1. Reduction of youth drinking.

Methods:� limiting the opportunities for minors to purchase and drink alcohol,� implementing modern prevention programmes and methods of teaching

attitudes and skills relating to a healthy and sober life,� limiting activities that promote drinking alcohol among the youth,� professional assistance to parents of children abusing alcohol,� prevention intervention for high risk groups (children from families with

alcohol problems, residents of boarding-schools and lodging-houses forworkers, soldiers),

� education of parents and tutors to help the youth remain abstinent,� shaping prevention coalition in local communities,� supporting actions to ensure recreation and fun to young people without

alcohol.

Success indicators:� number of youths, parents and teachers attending school-based preven-

tion programmes,� total number of abstaining youth,� percentage of youth who used alcohol during the last month,� number of schools and other educational institutions where prevention

programmes are carried out,� number of revoked permits to sell and serve alcoholic beverages on ac-

count of the illegal sale of alcohol to youth,� percentage of outlets (shops and catering establishments) violating the

law that bans the sale of alcohol to minors,

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� stopping the upwards trend in average alcohol consumption by per-sons below 18 years of age,

� number of communities that run places of support for children of high-risk groups offering qualified prevention and assistance programmes.

Target 2. Reduction the mortality and psycho-physiological degrada-tion

of persons with alcohol dependence.

Methods:� increasing the availability and effectiveness of professional alcohol depende-

nce therapy and other health care services for alcohol dependent persons,� supporting the activity of self-help communities for alcohol dependent

persons.

Success indicators:� percentage of patients of selected alcoholism treatment centres who main-

tain abstinence for over a year after completing treatment,� percentage of patients of selected alcoholism treatment centres who after

completing treatment manifest positive changes in social and personalfunctioning,

� number of alcohol dependent patients exposed to modern therapeuticprogrammes,

� number of trained physicians, therapists and therapeutic instructors em-ployed in the alcoholism treatment centres,

� number of alcoholism treatment centres applying modern psychotherapymethods for dependencies and running Individual Treatment Programmesfor patients,

� number of alcoholism treatment centres working at least 5-6 days a weekand during afternoon/evening hours,

� number of active abstainers club and AA groups.

Target 3. Reduction of health problems of abusers.

Methods:� implementing early diagnosis methods on the health risks associat-

ed with drinking alcohol and smoking as well as intervention teach-ing how to abstain from alcohol and nicotine or how to control drink-

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ing alcohol in primary and specialist health care settings (and insti-tutions associated with education and vocational training),

� public education concerning risky situations and risk factors as wellas methods of prevention alcohol risks and identifying signals ofdeveloping dependence,

� more effective interventions in cases of undesirable behaviour resultingfrom excessive drinking.

Success indicators:� number of patients in selected primary health care settings subject to

early diagnosis and short-term intervention,� number of students of medicine, physicians and graduates of medical schools

educated in alcohol dependence and other psychoactive substances,� number of press publications, radio and TV programmes in local mass-me-

dia concerning the risk factors and methods of resolving alcohol problems,� number of nurses, family doctors and primary care physicians trained in

diagnosing alcohol problems of patients and applying short-term treat-ment methods,

� average age of patients applying the first time for treatment in treatmentcentres.

Target 4. Reduction of alcohol-related harm in family.

Methods:� increasing the availability and effectiveness of co-dependence psychother-

apy programmes offered by treatment centres to adult family members,� improving the effectiveness of legal and administrative intervention against

violence and other family dysfunctions caused by alcohol drinking,� increasing the availability and effectiveness of organised forms of psy-

chological and social assistance for children of alcoholic families,� increasing the availability and effectiveness of organised forms of psy-

chological and social assistance for adult members of alcoholic families,� supporting social associations and community groups for counteracting

violence.

Success indicators:� number of persons participating in programmes of assistance to victims

of domestic violence,� number of people participating in correctional programmes for perpetra-

tors of violence,

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� number of police officers trained in domestic interventions connect-ed with family violence and in applying the Blue Card,

� number of welfare workers trained in domestic interventions connectedwith family violence and in applying the Blue Card,

� number of Local Community Commissions for Resolving of Alcohol-related Problems which formed teams for prevention of domestic vio-lence and the number of interventions executed,

� number of treatment centres with programmes of counteracting violence,� number of consultation and intervention centres for victims of do-

mestic violence, shelters for maltreated women and children, self-help, intervention and therapy groups,

� number of persons trained in provision of professional assistance tovictims of domestic violence,

� number of social therapy centres for children from alcoholic familiesand number of children receiving such help.

Target 5. Reduction of alcohol threat at workplace.

Methods:� training supervisors in early detection of alcohol problems and appropri-

ate intervention,� facilitating access of alcohol dependent employees to assistance in pro-

fessional alcoholism treatment centres and self-help environments,� educational campaigns in the workplace.

Success indicators:� number of work accidents due to drunkenness,� number of supervisors trained in early recognition and intervention,� number of employees of institutions subordinate to central ministries

exposed to prevention-education programmes,� number of enterprises implementing prevention programmes for employees.

Target 6. Counteraction of alcohol related law order violation.

Methods:� increasing the availability and effectiveness of therapy for alcohol-de-

pendent convicts in penitentiaries,� broadening the scope of therapeutic probationary recommendations for

perpetrators of crimes or offences related to alcohol abuse,

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� reducing the number of drunken drivers by extending the period ofdriving license revocation resulting from this offence and introduc-ing obligatory participation in a special educational programme as acondition for reclaiming the license,

� controlling compliance with the ban on selling and serving alcohol todrunken persons,

� designing intervention programmes for persons on release from sober-ing-up centres, particularly for minors.

Success indicators:� number of places in alcoholism treatment wards for convicts,� number of full-time employees in alcoholism treatment wards in peni-

tentiaries,� number of persons attending alcohol dependence therapy in alcoholism

dependence treatment wards for convicts,� number of traffic accidents related to alcohol use,� number of victims of traffic accidents caused by drunken drivers,� number of driving licenses revoked because of drunken driving,� number of crimes (in selected categories) committed by intoxicated adults

and minors,� number of people, of those minors, remanded in sobering-up centres.

Target 7. Reduction of alcohol marketing law violations.

Methods:� local government controls of compliance with applicable regulations by

alcohol vendors,� creating an integrated system of monitoring the amount of alcohol on the

market,� broadening the range of intervention of police and services pertinent to

the observance of regulations concerning illegal trafficking and breach-ing regulations of the Act,

� sealing the border against attempted alcohol smuggling,� more effective intervention of law enforcement agencies in breaches of

the ban on alcohol advertising.

Success indicators:� number of permits to sell alcoholic beverages revoked due to breaches of

conditions of sale described in the Act,� number of police and municipal guard interventions related to breaches

of the conditions of selling alcohol,

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� number of breaches of regulations of the Act by vendors uncoveredby State Supervision of Commerce,

� number of illegal alcohol bottling plants uncovered by the police,� number of court verdicts related to illegal advertising of alcoholic bever-

ages.

Target 8. Promotion social attitudes conducive to prevention and addressing alcohol-related problems.

Methods:� promoting a positive social and economic climate for applying rational

controls to the presence of alcohol in everyday life,� building up social understanding for necessary decisions to partly limit the

availability of alcohol and curtail the freedom of alcohol consumption,� promoting moderation and self-limiting the consumption of alcohol as

patterns of behaviour appropriate to high prestige social circles,� professionally designing appropriate educational campaigns in co-oper-

ation with mass-media.

Success indicators:� scope and degree of public acceptance for the educational campaign in

mass-media promoting life in sobriety and methods of addressing alco-hol-related problems,

� number of press articles and radio and TV broadcasts in local mediapromoting healthy and sober life styles,

� number of Local Communities involved in implementation of Local Com-munity Programmes of Prevention and Resolving Alcohol-related Problems,

� financial resources engaged in carrying out the Voivodship and the LocalCommunity Programmes of Prevention and Resolving Alcohol-relatedProblems.

Target 9. Reduction total consumption of alcohol and changing consumption patterns to lower alcohol content beverages.

Methods:

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� curtailing availability through rational and flexible fiscal policy pre-vention reduction of alcohol prices and giving a preference to loweralcohol content beverages,

� curtailing availability by controlling the number and location of sellingpoints,

� public and community education supporting rational decisions moderat-ing alcohol drinking.

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Success indicators:� structure of alcoholic beverages sales,� price structure of low and high alcohol concentration beverages,� number of points of sale offering alcoholic beverages,� number of inhabitants per point of sale of alcoholic beverages,� number of permits issued for the sale of alcohol,� aggregate consumption by given consumer segment,� frequency and total intake of alcohol.

TASKS OF THE STATE AGENCYFOR PREVENTIONOF ALCOHOL-RELATED PROBLEMS

Under provisions of Article 3 of the Act on Upbringing in Sobriety and Coun-teracting Alcoholism, the Agency:

a) drafts the proposed National Programme of Prevention and ResolvingAlcohol-related Problems for acceptance by the Council of Ministers andallocation of funds for its implementation,

b) drafts, reviews and advises on legislative proposals and action plans relat-ing to policies on alcohol and alcohol-related problems,

c) conducts information and education activities and draws up expert reports,d) develops and implements new methods for prevention and resolving alco-

hol problems,e) provides substantive assistance to local councils, institutions, associations and

individuals implementing tasks connected with resolving alcohol problems,f) co-ordinates and initiates actions improving the effectiveness and availa-

bility of alcohol dependence treatment centres.

The Agency participates in the 2001-2007 Programme for Developing Pub-lic Statistics in the area of alcohol-related problem studies. These tasks are beingcarried out in co-operation with the voivodship and the local community self-governments, NGOs, professional associations and international organisations andinstitutions. The Agency is also charged with executing the responsibilities dele-gated to the Minister of Health under Article 6 of the Act, connected with train-

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ing specialists in prevention and treatment and conducting studies on alco-hol and the problems which it generates. During 2000-2005 the main actionsof the Agency will focus on the following programmes:

1. Programme for improving the effectiveness and availability of ther-apeutically services for persons with alcohol dependence and theirfamilies, and training personnel of treatment centres, covering i.a.:� School on Treatment of Dependencies,� School on Psychological Help,� Summer School for Therapists of the Alcoholic Treatment Centres,� Personal Development Programme for non-professional staff mem-

bers of treatment centres and self-help communities,� Implementation of the December 31, 1999 Ordinance of the Minister of

Health on alcoholism treatment in collaboration with the Voivodship Cen-tres for Therapy of Dependencies and Co-Dependencies,

� Programme for certification of specialists in psychotherapy of depend-ence and instructors of dependence therapy,

� Programme for monitoring and evaluating effects of alcohol dependencetreatment therapy,

� Programme for upgrading ineffective treatment centres,� Programme for upgrading methods of psychotherapy for Adult Children

of Alcoholics and co-dependent family members,� Centre for Scientific Information on Alcohol Problems,� the �Terapia Uzale¿nienia i Wspó³uzale¿nienia� (Therapy of Depend-

ence and Co-dependence) bi-monthly,� consultations and supervisions for personnel of treatment centres,� data base on treatment centres and generation of reports,� implementing therapeutical programmes for alcohol-dependent young

people,� implementing therapeutical programmes for alcohol-dependent home-

less people,� improving the system of requiring mandatory treatment of alcohol de-

pendent patients.

2. Programme of early diagnoses and intervention for patients abusingalcohol, prepared for primary and specialist medical care centres,covering i.a.:� training sessions for students of Medical Academies,� training sessions for nursing teachers,� training for family doctors,

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� implementing the method of early diagnosis and short-term inter-vention in practices of family doctors and consultation desks in hos-pitals,

� drafting educational materials for health service personnel and patients,� establishing an information and consultation Centre for students and facul-

ties of medical Academies.

3. Programme for developing school, family and community prevention:� Professional School of School and Family Prevention,� supporting local actions continuing the �Alcohol Steals Freedom� cam-

paign,� improving the effectiveness and availability of the Orange Line �

system of assistance to parents whose children drink and get drunk,� promotion and evaluation of the best school-based prevention pro-

grammes,� publication of �Remedium� monthly for homeroom teachers and staff

members responsible for prevention programmes,� drafting educational materials for parents and teachers,� seminar on Prospects for Polish Problem Prevention,� promotion of family prevention programmes,� research diagnosing consumption of alcohol and other substances by

school pupils, students and soldiers,� implementing prevention programmes for students and conscripts,� implementing training programmes for vendors and controlling compli-

ance with the ban on selling alcohol to minors.

4. Programme for developing psycho-social assistance to children fromalcoholic families and high risk environments:� training programmes for counsellors in social therapy centres in assist-

ance for children of alcoholics,� developing and disseminating modern methods of psychological support

for children from alcoholic families,� training for counsellors of foster Centres and Police Children�s Wards in

assistance to children from alcoholic families,� national conferences on �Psychological Assistance to Children from Al-

coholic Families�,� promoting and supporting Local Self-government initiatives connected

with opening social therapy youth centres,� improving availability of psycho-therapeutical assistance for children from

alcoholic families with serious emotional disturbances,

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� organisation of the National Forum of Leaders and training for lead-ers of Al-Ateen groups,

� data base on persons and centres assisting children from alcoholic families.

5. Programme of counteraction domestic violence in alcoholic families i.a.:� developing the Blue Line system covering organisations, institutions and

persons assisting victims of domestic violence and organising a data base,� operating a National Emergency Service for Victims of Domestic Vio-

lence,� School on Counteracting Domestic Violence,� implementing Blue Card procedures by the police forces,� implementing Blue Card procedures by welfare Centres,� publishing the �Niebieska Linia� (Blue Line) bi-monthly bulletin,� developing programmes for counteracting domestic violence, operated by

Local Community Commissions and implementing Blue Card procedures,� organisation of national educational campaigns,� organisation of national conferences on �Stopping Violence at Home�.

6. Programme of supporting local programmes of prevention and re-solving of alcohol problems:� drafting information guidebooks and compendia for implementation of

Local Community Programmes addressing alcohol problems,� conducting a School of Family Assistance for personnel of County-level

Family Assistance Centres,� organisation of annual conference of Local Self-governments leading in

efforts to resolving alcohol problems,� co-ordination and support of the Network of Large Municipalities imple-

menting programmes addressing alcohol problems,� support for pilot programmes setting up sobriety coalitions in local com-

munities,� developing the Network of Rural Local Communities implementing pro-

grammes addressing alcohol problems,� drafting education materials for local communities,� consultations and training for co-ordinators of the local community pro-

grammes.

7. Programme of supporting the Voivodship Programmes of Preventionand Resolving Alcohol-related Problems.

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8. Public education on the subject of alcohol problems and co-opera-tion with mass media:� publishing magazines devoted to prevention and addressing alcohol prob-

lems,� publishing reports and books,� continuation of competitions for journalists publishing and broadcasting

on alcohol-related issues, for the prize of Minister of Health,� operating an information Centre on alcohol problems and an interactive

education page on the Internet,� drafting and distributing popular information and education brochures.

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9. Scientific research, diagnoses, expert studies and monitoring alco-hol-related issues as well as actions to prevention the spread of al-cohol and to improve the situation.

10. Other actions (co-ordination and promotion of the National Pro-gramme of Prevention and Resolving Alcohol-related Problems, co-operation with the Church in questions concerning alcohol problems,international co-operation, counteracting drunken driving, imple-mentation of prevention programmes in workplaces).

SECTORAL TASKS OF THE CEN-TRALADMINISTRATION

A. MINISTRY OF NATIONAL EDUCATIONI. Upgrading the competence of education personnel in terms of addres-

sing alcohol-related issues:

1. Expanding Ministry-guided training programmes to include subjects relatingto prevention and resolving of alcohol problems and counteracting domesticviolence. The programmes should encompass in particular:a) teachers,b) school pedagogues and psychologists, employees of foster Centres,

boarding schools, youth recreation-education centres and clubs,c) counsellors in foster Centres, boarding schools, youth education-recre-

ation centres and clubs,d) staffs of psychological-pedagogical counselling Centres.

II. Procedures and prevention actions:

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1. Developing policies and procedures for actions in school and univer-sity environments addressing problems posed by youth drinking ofalcoholic beverages.

2. Developing and applying rules for assisting pupils from families with al-cohol problems.

3. Developing and applying rules for proceeding with intoxicated pupils andpromoting temperance among young people and teachers, with particularemphasis on the requirements posed by the status and prestige of teachersas personality models.

4. Developing and applying rules for proceeding in the event of suspicion ordetection by teacher of violence directed against a pupil in the school orfamily environment.

5. Developing and disseminating general rules for proceeding with drunkenyoung people in boarding houses or student dormitories.

III. Prevention in schools:

1. Improving the competence of teachers and pedagogues to teach classes onprevention of alcohol problems and counteracting violence in the family.

2. Supporting initiatives of pupil and student councils connected with carry-ing out their own prevention programmes at school.

3. Involving parents in prevention efforts.4. Disseminating educational programmes for parents on addressing alcohol

problems, raising their skills to help ensuring abstinence of their children.

IV. Surveying and monitoring:

1. Drafting reports and analyses concerning the problems and harm relatingto alcohol drinking by youth of primary and post-primary schools.

2. Drafting reports and analyses of prevention actions carried out by schoolsas part of their personality formation programmes.

V. Data collection:

1. Number of primary and post-primary school pupils participating in pre-vention programmes and the number of their parents taking part in specialprogrammes on �domestic prevention�.

2. Number of schools and other education centres in the area, where preven-tion programmes were offered on the subject of problems and harm rela-ted to alcohol consumption.

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3. Number of students participating in special prevention programmesdesigned to reduce the scale of alcohol consumption.

4. Number of pedagogues, teachers and counsellors personally involved inimplementing school-based prevention programmes.

B. MINISTRY OF JUSTICEI. Upgrading the competence of justice administration personnel in terms

of addressing alcohol-related issues:

1. Expanding Ministry-guided training programmes to include subjects re-lating to prevention and resolving of alcohol problems and counteractingdomestic violence. The programmes should encompass in particular:a) prosecutors and prosecution apprentices,b) judges (particularly of family courts) and court apprentices,c) court curators,d) official court experts,e) mediators,f) faculties of correctional institutions, penitentiary curator and diagnosticCentres, and short-term custody Centres.

For the official court experts, it is suggested that they should have a formalobligation to raise their qualifications regarding modern diagnostic and therapeu-tical methods applied to persons with alcohol dependence.

II. Procedures and actions:

1. Developing and applying rules for proceeding with persons abusing alco-hol, against whom a case is being prepared or prosecuted in court in con-nection with violence against next of kin.

2. Developing and applying jointly with the State Agency for Prevention ofAlcohol-related Problems a paid educational programme for persons con-victed for causing a traffic accident while under the influence of alcohol.

3. Streamlining procedures of Misdemeanour Courts in cases linked to illegaltrading in alcohol, disturbances of peace and order in public by persons underthe influence of alcohol, and in particular to selling alcohol to minors anddriving under the influence of alcohol by persons under 21 years of age.

4. Improving the efficiency of prosecution bodies in cases connected withdomestic violence and illegal advertising of alcoholic beverages.

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III. Prevention in the justice administration system:

1. Improving the competencies of counsellors and personnel of correctionalinstitutions and curator Centres in addressing alcohol problems and coun-teracting violence in the family � in each such facility training a team ofpeople equipped with the required expertise.

2. Running special prevention-intervention and correctional programmes insuch centres concerning alcohol problems and counteracting violence inthe family.

IV. Health service for convicts:

1. Wider availability of psychotherapy for persons dependent on alcohol serv-ing prison sentences and streamlining procedures allowing convicts tobenefit from this type of assistance.

2. Including tasks connected with treatment of dependences in the proc-ess of post-penitentiary guidance of ex-convicts addicted to alcohol.

3. Offering educational programmes on alcohol abuse for prison inmates.4. Facilitating access of self-help groups (AA, Al-Anon, Adult Children of

Alcoholics) to penitentiary institutions.5. Application of correctional programmes for imprisoned perpetrators of

domestic violence.

V. Surveying and monitoring:

1. Drafting reports and analyses of prevention and correctional programmesconcerning problems and harm connected with alcohol abuse and violencein the family, offered in correctional institutions and curator Centres.

2. Analysing the effectiveness of alcoholic treatment programmes implemen-ted in penitentiary institutions.

3. Research into court sentences in cases connected with violence in the familyand causing traffic accidents under the influence of alcohol; analysis oftrends in this respect.

VI. Data collection:

1. Number of persons convicted for perpetrating violence against next of kin,including the number of people remanded in prison and number of per-sons given suspended sentences on the condition of taking up treatment oftheir dependence on alcohol.

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2. Number of court cases connected with violence in the family during agiven calendar year.

3. Number of proceedings in Misdemeanour Courts in a given calendar year,connected with abuse of alcohol.

4. Number of people convicted for causing traffic accidents under the influ-ence of alcohol (in several age groups), including the number of peopleconvicted for this to a prison sentence.

5. Number of people convicted for causing traffic accidents under the influ-ence of alcohol in prisons in a given calendar year.

6. Number of people in prison covered by alcoholic treatment therapy.7. Number of minors covered by prevention-intervention and correctional

programmes relating to alcohol problems and counteracting violence inthe family, offered in correctional institutions and curator Centres.

C. MINISTRY OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS AND ADMINISTRA-TION

I. Upgrading the competencies of personnel subordinated to the Minis-try in terms of addressing alcohol-related issues:

1. Developing educational materials and expanding the courses of basic train-ing for newly hired police personnel with school-workshop sessions onalcohol-related problems and counteracting domestic violence.

2. Extending Ministry guided training programmes of each level with topicsof prevention and resolving alcohol problems and counteracting domesticviolence. Such training should be provided above all for:a) specialists on criminal prevention and specialists on treatment of minors in

Voivodship and County level headquarters and in police precinct stations,b) heads of police shelters for children,c) officers of intervention patrols and district policemen,d) middle level supervisory personnel.

3. Specialist training for psychologists and physicians in health service cen-tres subordinated to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration inearly diagnosis and short-term intervention methods to be applied to per-sons with alcohol problems. Such training should encompass:� family (first contact) physicians,� physicians conducting prevention check-ups,� psychologists from the Ministry Mental Health Consulting Centre.


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1. Upgrading police intervention procedures in cases of minors under theinfluence of alcohol � guiding police efforts to actions helping to identifythe persons who sold or served alcohol to minors (including institutionand conduct of preliminary investigation as per Article 208 of the Crimi-nal Code: bringing minors to drink). In case of identifying the vendor whosold alcohol to a minor, applying to Local Self-government authorities forrevoking the permit for selling alcoholic beverages.

2. Upgrading police intervention methods in cases of violence in the family,on the basis of the Blue Cards procedure applicable since 1998.

3. Upgrading procedures of intervening against drunken drivers (Office forCo-ordination of Prevention Services and the Traffic Division in that Of-fice) and applying stricter controls of drivers on days of increased risk.

4. More effective intervention procedure with regard to persons remanded ina state of acute alcoholic intoxication.

5. Drafting and applying procedures and rules for handling police offic-ers abusing alcohol.

III. Operations of health centres serving officers and civilian personnelsubordinated to the Ministry in terms of resolving alcohol problems:

1. Improving access to counselling and therapy for alcohol-dependent offic-ers and personnel as well as members of their families.

2. Offering educational programmes to officers and civilian personnel con-cerning alcohol abuse and counteracting violence in the family.

IV. Surveying and monitoring:

1. Monitoring progress and effects of the Blue Cards intervention procedure,in the process of implementation since 1998, in cases of domestic vio-lence.

2. Drafting reports and analyses of trends and scale of offences linked toalcohol � on national scale and in cross-section of Voivodships, in a break-down by adults and minors.

3. Monitoring the damages and costs connected with drunkenness of trafficparticipants.

V. Data collection:

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1. Size of the illegal alcohol market (volume of illegally distilled alco-hol in litters, number of instituted and conducted procedures in con-nection with the illegal production and trade of alcoholic beverages,quantity in litters of illegally transported alcohol confiscated at na-tional borders).

2. Number of road accidents and violations under the influence of alcohol,including those by persons under 21.

3. Number of drunken drivers whose driving licenses were revoked, includ-ing number of such revocations for drivers under 21.

4. Number of fatal accidents and suicides in a state of intoxication.5. Number of intoxicated perpetrators by selected category of offences �

percentage of intoxicated persons in the total number of suspects.6. Number of persons detained for sobering up (of these women and minors

by sex).7. Number of instituted and conducted preparatory proceedings in cases in-

volving selling or serving alcoholic drinks to minors (Article 208 of theCriminal Code).

8. Number of minors under the influence of alcohol detained by police.9. Number of police interventions in family violence cases using Blue Cards.

10. Number of victims of domestic violence, of those women, men, childrenunder 13 and minors aged 13 to 18.

11. Number of perpetrators of domestic violence � men, women and minors, ofthose under the influence of alcohol (and remanded in sobering stations).

12. Number of instituted preparatory proceedings against perpetrators of do-mestic violence.

13. Number of persons availing themselves of consulting services, outpatientand stationary treatment for alcohol-related problems in health centressubordinated to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration.

D. MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND SOCIAL POLICYI. Initiation and support of efforts to raise the competencies of welfare

personnel in addressing alcohol problems:

1. Extension of training programmes offered under Ministry auspices byaddition of topics relating to prevention and resolving of alcohol prob-lems and counteracting violence in the family. Such programmes shouldabove all encompass:a) staffs and directors of the county-level Family Assistance Centres and Welfare Assistance Centres,

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b) directors and staffs of homes for the needy,c) persons providing specialist welfare services in the community,d) management staff of Volunteer Labour Brigades.

2. Drafting training programmes for persons active in the NGOs entrustedwith tasks of assisting the homeless, in the area of resolving alcohol prob-lems and counteracting violence in the family.


1. Improving methods of diagnosing, intervening and assisting victims ofviolence in the family, basing on the Blue Cards procedure applicable inwelfare institutions since 1998.

2. Developing and promoting rules for collaboration between welfare assistancecentres and Local Community Commissions for solving alcohol problems.

3. Amending the practice of providing material assistance to alcohol-depend-ent persons and members of their families with specific actions to moti-vate to treatment therapy.

4. Supporting self-help groups and communities of members of familieswith alcohol problems or experience of family violence.

5. Initiating actions to improve the rehabilitation methods and conditions forpersons with alcohol dependence, housed in welfare assistance Centres.

6. Amending programmes of Job Clubs organised by Labour Offices withvarious forms of educational initiatives addressing resolving of alcoholproblems and counteracting violence in the family.

III. Surveying and monitoring:

1. Monitoring progress and effects of the Blue Card intervention procedureintroduced in 1988 for cases of violence in the family.

2. Drafting reports and analyses of various forms of assistance to familieswith alcohol problems or domestic violence.

3. Monitoring costs connected with various forms of assistance to familieswith alcohol problems.

IV. Data collection:

1. Number of families with alcohol problem provided assistance with publicwelfare funds.

2. Number of domestic violence victims given assistance using Blue Cardprocedures.

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3. Financial resources available for assistance to families with alcoholproblems and families suffering from domestic violence.

4. Number of social therapy centres with special programmes of psychologicalassistance to children from alcoholic families (and other risk groups) and numberof educational-custodian centres, shelters and other centres of similar type.

5. Number of children and young people using various forms of assistanceavailable from such centres.

6. Financial resources earmarked for supplementary financing of preventionprogrammes in schools and educational-custodian centres.

E. MINISTRY OF NATIONAL DEFENCEI. Raising the competence of personnel subordinate to the Ministry in

terms of resolving alcohol problems:

1. Drafting educational materials and extending training programmes forcareer military personnel and psychologists-consultants, commanders forpsychoprophylactics and military medical personnel in the form ofschool workshops on alcohol problems and counteracting violence inthe family. This training should above all encompass:a) commanding officers of military units,b) commanders of platoons and social formation officers.

2. Offering specialised training to psychologists-consultants, commanders forpsychoprophylactics and military medical personnel in the use of early diag-nosis and short-term intervention methods to persons with alcohol problems.

3. Expanding the study programme for Military Medical Academy studentsto cover subjects of modern prevention and resolving alcohol problems.


1. Upgrading and disseminating to military units the prevention-educational pro-grammes relating to alcohol problems and counteracting violence in the family.

2. Upgrading intervention procedure rules of dealing with drunken conscripts.3. Designing and applying more effective procedures for dealing with career

military personnel abusing alcohol.

III. Surveying and monitoring:

1. Studying the extent and structure of alcohol consumption by conscriptsand the harm resulting from its abuse.

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2. Drafting reports and analyses from operation of prevention and cor-rectional programmes relating to problems and harm connected withalcohol consumption by conscripts, including implementation by mil-itary medical services of early diagnosis and short-term treatmentmethods with respect to soldiers abusing alcohol.

3. Monitoring advances and results of alcohol-dependence treatment of ca-reer military personnel and members of their families.


1. Number of soldiers encompassed by modern prevention programmes re-lating to limiting the harm connected with alcohol abuse.

2. Number of military officers trained to run modern alcohol abuse preven-tion programmes.

3. Number of military units working with the voivodship and the local com-munity self-governments on addressing alcohol problems � topics and scopeof co-operation.

4. Number of offences and crimes (by category) involving the drinkingof alcohol committed by:� conscripts,� career military personnel.

5. Number of accidents (of these fatal) and suicides among conscripts andcareer military personnel in a state of intoxication.

F. MINISTRY OF ECONOMYI. Procedures and actions:

1. Conducting work connected with issuance of permits for wholesale tradein alcoholic beverages (until such as time as this responsibility is trans-ferred to Voivodship executive boards).

2. Supervising compliance by business with the terms and conditions ofwholesale trading in alcoholic beverages specified in the issued permits(until such time as this responsibility is transferred to Voivodship execu-tive boards).

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3. Periodic analysis and evaluation of the principles guiding issuance ofpermits for wholesale trade in alcoholic beverages and the terms andconditions defined for such trading; initiating and developing newpolicies in this respect (until such as time as this responsibility is trans-ferred to Voivodship executive boards).

4. Co-operation with law enforcement agencies, fiscal audit agencies and localadministrations in handling applications for wholesale trade in alcoholicbeverages (until such as time as this responsibility is transferred to Voivod-ship executive boards).

5. Co-operation in shaping tax and price policies on alcoholic beverages.

II. Data collection:

1. Number of permits issued for wholesale trade in alcoholic beverages.2. Volume of wholesale trade in alcoholic beverages.3. Budget revenues from fees collected for issuance of permits to conduct

wholesale trade in alcoholic beverages.

G. MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT AND MARITIME ECONO-MY

I. Training personnel in prevention and resolving of alcohol problems:

1. Supplement education and training programmes (civil aviation, water andrail transport) with knowledge and skills connected with prevention andresolving alcohol problems.

2. Initiating training for managements of units directly subordinated to theMinistry (air, maritime, rail and road transport) and personnel of these units.


1. Developing and implementing prevention-education programmes on al-cohol for drivers, whose driving licenses have been revoked for drunkendriving.

2. Drafting an updated Ordinance of the Minister of Transport and maritimeEconomy concerning observance of requirements set out in the Act onUpbringing in Sobriety and Counteracting Alcoholism in organisationalunits subordinated to the Ministry of Transport and Maritime Economy.

III. Prevention programmes:

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1. Developing and implementing educational-prevention programmes onalcohol problems in units subordinated to the ministry.

2. Participation in educational campaigns in national media (road and railsafety).


1. Safety in transport (status: accidents, interventions, etc.).2. Number of infringements of the ban on alcohol sales in domestic transport

centres.

H. MINISTRY OF FINANCEI. Procedures and actions:

1. Conducting a policy of fiscal charges on the production and trade in alco-holic beverages conducive to reducing total consumption and altering con-sumption patterns to beverages with lower concentration of alcohol.

2. Conducting a policy of regulating liquor prices in a way making suchproducts relatively more expensive compared with beverages of low-er alcohol concentration.


1. Keeping records of fiscal revenues from the production and sale of alco-holic beverages.

2. Analysis of other financial indicators connected with functioning of thealcohol market, required for defining the economic aspects of state policyon alcohol.

I. CENTRAL CUSTOMS OFFICEI. Procedures and actions:

1. Defining and implementing a model of procedures for customs servicesaimed at radically curtailing cross-border alcohol smuggling.

2. Participation in shaping the customs policy of the state conducive to re-ducing consumption of alcoholic beverages and shifting consumption pat-terns to beverages with lower concentration of alcohol.

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1. Volume and value of alcoholic beverages confiscated by customs services.2. Number of registered cases of attempts to illegally transport alcohol across

the border.3. Volume of alcoholic beverages import and export.

J. NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR RADIO AND TELEVISION BROADCASTING

1. Inspiring public television and public radio broadcasters to air cyclicalseries and programmes taking up in a modern slant the issues of preven-tion and resolving alcohol problems and ensuring attractive air time forsuch during highest viewing/listening hours.

2. Taking actions to ensure non-commercial access to airtime in public me-dia for films and programmes promoting healthy, sober lifestyles.

3. Observing the ban on alcohol advertising and counteracting hidden formsof alcohol promotion.

4. Taking actions to increase the number of programmes on public radiostations devoted to public education in alcohol problems.

K. OFFICE FOR PROTECTION OF COMPETITION AND CONSUMERS

1. Analysing forms of advertising alcoholic beverages and taking steps toensure its discontinuation, should it be established as inconsistent withlegal regulations.

2. Having the Commerce Inspection conduct regular control checks of le-gality and fairness of business conduct in the production of alcoholic bevera-ges, trade and services connected with alcohol.

L. VOIVODSHIP ADMINISTRATION1. Supervision and control of resolving adopted by the local community self-

governments in pursuance of the Act on Upbringing in Sobriety andCounteracting Alcoholism, for compliance with legal regulations and thepriorities mapped out in the National Programme.

2. Co-operation with the Voivodship Administrations on implementation ofthe Voivodship Programme of Prevention and Resolving Alcohol-relatedProblems and with other agencies of Government and local administration.

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3. Periodic evaluations and analyses on implementation of the Act onUpbringing in Sobriety and Counteracting Alcoholism by local self-governments.

TASKS OF THE REGIONALSELF-GOVERNMENTS

Systematic implementation of Voivodship Programmes of Prevention andResolving Alcohol-related Problems, particularly through:

1. Supporting and assisting local councils in implementation of LocalCommunity Programmes of Prevention and Resolving Alcohol-relatedProblems.

2. Conducting training for representatives of local communities involved inprevention and rectifying efforts, in particular co-ordinators of Local Com-munity Programmes and members of Local Self-government Commissionsfor Resolving Alcohol-related Problems.

3. Supporting development and modernisation of therapeutic services foralcohol-dependent persons and members of their families � setting up theVoivodship Centres for Therapy of Dependence and Co-dependence andimplementing the Ordinance by the Minister of Health dated December31, 1999 concerning organisation and types of alcohol treatment centres(...) (in: Dziennik Ustaw No. 3/2000, item 44).

4. Improving the availability of therapeutical assistance to alcohol-depend-ent persons in penitentiary confinement.

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5. Implementing methods of early diagnosis and short-term treatmentfor alcohol-abusing patients of primary health care centres � educa-tion of physicians and other health care personnel on their applica-tion in family doctor practices.

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6. Supporting development of modern prevention programmes imple-mented in school and family environments and with high-risk groups.

7. Supporting development of a system counteracting violence in alcoholicfamilies, in co-operation with police, welfare assistance, alcohol treatmentcentres, County Family Assistance Centres and Local Self-governmentcommissions for resolving alcohol problems.

8. Developing public education and training of representative trades in alco-hol-related problems.

9. Monitoring the status of alcohol problems throughout the respective voivod-ship and in selected local communities.

10. Supporting programmes implemented by non-government institutions andentities involved in addressing alcohol-related problems, and by self-helpcommunities.

11. Control of compliance with provisions of the Act on Upbringing inSobriety and Counteracting Alcoholism by businesses (intervening incases of violations of the ban on selling alcohol to minors, sellingalcohol without valid permit, advertising alcoholic beverages).

TASKS OF THE LOCALCOMMUNITY SELF-GOVERNMENTS

The 1996 amendment of the Act on Upbringing in Sobriety and CounteractingAlcoholism has fundamentally changed the Polish model of addressing alcohol-related problems. The local community self-governments were now charged withspecific responsibilities, executed as �own tasks� within Local Community Pro-grammes of Prevention and Resolving Alcohol-related Problems. The local com-munity self-governments have been allocated a source of funding the tasks stip-ulated in Article 41 Section 1 in fees from permits for the sale of alcoholicbeverages, treated as own resources of the local communities. The aforementionedAct specifies the following tasks of the local community self-governments:

1. Improving availability of therapeutical and rehabilitation assistanceto alcohol-dependent persons.Implementation of this task is possible through e.g.:� financing extra therapeutical sessions for alcohol-dependent patients

(in afternoon-evening hours or on days off work),� financing procedures in a post-basic programme for alcohol-dependent

persons,

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� supplementary financing of training and specialisation courses forpersonnel of alcohol treatment centres, to improve qualifications,

� supplementary equipment of centres with aids and equipment needed fortherapeutical sessions,

� setting up and operating a consultation desk for alcohol-dependent per-sons and members of their families,

� establishing consultation centres for persons with an alcohol problem.

2. Psycho-social and legal assistance, particularly protection againstfamily violence, to families where there is an alcohol problem.This task may be implemented through e.g.:� arranging and financing operations of consultation desks and special help

centres for victims of domestic violence (adults and children),� telephone hotlines and specialist consultations by telephone (psycholo-

gist, lawyer, physician),� running support groups for victims of domestic violence,� running therapeutical groups for victims of domestic violence,� correctional-therapeutical programmes for perpetrators of domestic violence,� public education (guides, leaflets, advice books, brochures),� participating in formation of Al-Anon groups or other forms of as-

sistance to alcohol co-dependents,� providing various forms of assistance to victims of family violence (such

as self-help groups, phone hotlines such as �Blue Line�),� setting up socio-therapeutical visitors� centres, employing counsellors

and socio-therapeutists,� organising therapeutical camps for children from families with alcohol

problems.

3. Prevention information and education activities, particularly address-ing children and young people.This task may be implemented through e.g.:� organising and offering prevention programmes for children and young

people in schools and other formation-through-recreation centres,� running prevention and therapy programmes for children from high risk

groups,� regional and local education campaigns on subjects connected with alco-

hol issues,� organising comprehensive community prevention programmes encom-

passing various spheres of activity of local communities,

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� running �Orange Line� centres � helping parents of alcohol-drinking chil-dren.

4. Defining specific rules for the issuance and revocation of permits for thesale of alcoholic beverages for consumption on the spot or for take outand controlling compliance with the rules for trading in such beverages.This task may be implemented through e.g.:� adoption of a Local Community Council Resolving on specific rules de-

fining the places and premises within Local Self-government territorywhere (due to their character) alcohol cannot be sold or served,

� adoption of a Local Community Council Resolving on the number andlocation of alcohol points of sale,

� adoption of a Local Community Council resolving on specific rules forissuance and revocation of permits for the sale of alcoholic beverages,

� formulating rules for controlling points of sale of alcoholic beverages.

5. Supporting activities of institutions, associations and individuals ad-dressing alcohol problems.This task may be implemented through e.g.:� supplementary financing (based on clearly defined criteria) of NGOs

efforts in carrying out tasks connected with prevention and resolv-ing alcohol problems,

� supplementary financing of therapy camps for organisations associatingmembers of families with alcohol problems,

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Annex 1

POLISH DECLARATION ON YOUTHAND ALCOHOL

Alcohol drinking and alcohol abuse among children and teenagers is one ofthe greatest social problems in contemporary Poland. We can and should con-front it in a determined and decisive manner.

In the second half of the 1990s, alcohol consumption among Polish teenagersincreased significantly. Polish youth has been subjected to the alcoholic beverageindustry�s aggressive, carefully planned and highly effective campaigns that pro-mote alcohol consumption.

Drunkenness and alcoholism destroy families and lead to a multitude of othertragedies. Alcohol abuse by adults causes their children to suffer, while deprivingthem of their youth and their sense of safety. Drunkenness among young peopleimpairs their mental and physical development, ruins their health and reducestheir chances for effective learning and work. Alcohol consumption is also linkedto numerous accidents and injuries.

The 1996-2005 National Health Programme, currently under implementation,identified major threats to the health and the well-being of the populace. Chiefamong those threats is the alcohol consumption, particularly the consumption ofheavy liquor. One of the strategic goals of the programme is to reduce alcohol useand to limit alcohol-related health losses.

To this end, on the threshold of the year 2000, we, the Deputies to the Parlia-ment of the Republic of Poland, commit ourselves to the provisions of this Dec-laration. We appeal to all those who feel responsible for the health and for thefuture of the young generation of Poles to conduct themselves in accordance withthe ethical principles and the norms of behaviour contained in the Declaration.

We plead both the central and local governments, public institutions, non-gov-ernmental organisations, and all citizens to work together to accomplish the tasksand principles defined in the following documents: 1. The National Programmeof Prevention and Resolving Alcohol-Related Problems; 2. The Act on Upbring-ing in Sobriety and Counteracting Alcoholism, 3. The principles specified in thisDeclaration. The statutory 1% of the excise duty charged on alcoholic beverageswill be allocated toward the successful completion of this Programme.

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All children and teenagers have the right to life without the threats result-ing form alcohol consumption, at home, at school or in community, and it isthe obligation of adults to guarantee this right.

Parents, guardians and educators have the obligation to teach the childrenunder their care how to abstain from alcohol consumption; it is an inalienableright of every parent, guardian and educator to receive support and assistance inaddressing problems resulting from the drinking of alcoholic beverages.

All children and teenagers have the right to all relevant information about thenegative effects of alcohol use, and to an education promoting a life-style withoutalcohol. We appeal to the media to co-operate in the enforcement of this right.

All families have the right to receive professional assistance in managing dif-ficult situations resulting from the drinking of alcoholic beverages.

All adults have the obligation to prevent the selling and serving of alcoholicbeverages to minors and to prevent advertising and promotion of alcohol con-sumption directed to minors (people who are not yet 18).

All children and teenagers being raised in families with an alcohol problem havethe right to receive social and psychological assistance as well as legal protection.

The Parliament of the Republic of Poland deems it highly unethical and so-cially harmful for persons of public trust, the media and other institutions capableof influencing the youth, to participate in commercial advertising campaigns andany other activities promoting alcohol consumption.

PREVENTION OF ALCOHOL PROBLEMSAMONG CHILDREN AND TEENAGERS:

Directives

1. Promoting sobriety and encouraging abstinence, particularly by involvingthe mass media.

2. Establishing social settings allowing for a sober and healthy life-style for mi-nors (i.e., places where they can exercise, participate in sports, play and rest).

3. Providing children and teenagers with opportunities to participate in edu-cational prevention programmes that promote a wholesome and healthylife-style and which develop skills necessary to live alcohol-free life.

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4. Strict enforcement of the ban on the serving and selling of alcohol tominors and on the advertising of alcoholic beverages.

5. Establishing family-centric preventative measures: teaching parentshow to support their children�s abstinence, and providing parentswhose children have abused alcohol with professional assistance.

6. Increasing the availability of social assistance, psychological coaching andsocial therapy for children and teenagers from families with an alcoholproblem.

7. Assistance to non-governmental organisations and other grass-roots initia-tives in providing child care, and other forms of support to the familieswith alcohol problems, during the recovery process.

8. Educating the broader public; reaching all professional and occupationalgroups with information about alcohol-related issues.

9. Providing educational and therapeutic assistance to teenagers with an al-cohol abuse problem.

10. Extending the availability and effectiveness of professional psychologicaltherapy to people suffering from addiction to alcohol as well as to mem-bers of their families.

The Resolution of the Parliament of the Republic of Poland of 18 February 2000.@

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� organising access to training for representatives of various trades,coming in contact at wok with persons having an alcohol problemand members of their families,

� promoting a local sobriety coalition, being the forum grouping pro-fessionals, persons of influence interested in issues of alcohol policyand also activists, for instance, sobered alcoholics and members oftheir families.

The examples of actions listed earlier do not exhaust the catalogue oftasks, which could or should be covered by the local community programme.It should be emphasised that such a document should be formulated on thebasis of a diagnosed local situation in terms of problems and resources toaddress alcohol issues. Decisions as to the final content of the Local Commu-nity Programme of Prevention and Resolving Alcohol-related Problems andmanner of its financing is to be taken annually by the Local CommunityCouncil in a formal resolving.

To assist the local communities in drafting the Local Community Programmesand help audit bodies on checking these, the State Agency for Prevention of Al-cohol-related Problems each year drafts the Recommendations for Implementa-tion and Financing of the Local Community Programmes of Prevention and Re-solving Alcohol-related Problems.

Annex 2

EUROPEAN CHARTER ON ALCO-HOL

ETHICAL PRINCIPLES AND GOALSIn furtherance of the European Alcohol Action Plan, the Paris Conference calls

on all Member States to draw up comprehensive alcohol policies and implementprogrammes that give expression, as appropriate in their differing cultures andsocial, legal and economic environments, to the following ethical principles andgoals, on the understanding that this document does not confer any legal rights.

1. All people have the right to family, community and working life protectedfrom accidents, violence and the other negative consequences of alcoholconsumption.

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2. All people have the right to valid impartial information and education,starting early in life, on the consequences of alcohol consumption on health,the family and society.

3. All children and adolescents have the right to grow up in an environmentprotected from the negative consequences of alcohol consumption and, tothe extent possible, from the promotion of alcoholic beverages.

4. All people with hazardous or harmful alcohol consumption and membersof their families have the right to accessible treatment and care.

5. All people who do not wish to consume alcohol, or who cannot do so forhealth or other reasons, have the right to be safeguarded from pressures todrink and be supported in their non-drinking behavior.

TEN STRATEGIES FOR ALCOHOL ACTIONResearch and successful examples in other countries demonstrate that significant

health and economic benefits for the European Region may be achieved if the follow-ing ten health promotion strategies for action on alcohol are implemented to giveeffect to the ethical principles and goals listed above, in accordance with the differingcultures and social, legal and economic environments in each Member State:

1. Inform people of the consequences of alcohol consumption on health, familyand society and of the effective measures that can be taken to prevent orminimize harm, building broad educational programmes beginning in ear-ly childhood.

2. Promote public, private and working environments protected from acci-dents and violence and other negative consequences of alcohol con-sumption.

3. Establish and enforce laws that effectively discourage drink-driving.4. Promote health by controlling the availability, for example for young people,

and influencing the price of alcoholic beverages, for instance by taxation.5. Implement strict controls, recognizing existing limitations or bans in some

countries, on direct and indirect advertising of alcoholic beverages andensure that no form of advertising is specifically addressed to young peo-ple, for instance, through the linking of alcohol to sports.

6. Ensure the accessibility of effective treatment and rehabilitation services,with trained personnel, for people with hazardous or harmful alcohol con-sumption and members of their families.

7. Foster awareness of ethical and legal responsibility among those involvedin the marketing or serving alcoholic beverages, ensure strict control ofproduct safety and implement appropriate measures against illicit produc-tion and sale.

8. Enhance the society�s capacity to deal with alcohol through the training ofprofessionals in different sectors, such as health, social welfare, educationand the judiciary, along with the strengthening of community develop-ment and leadership.

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