Exposing Five Common Alcohol Industry Assertions Undermining the Development of Australia’s National Alcohol Strategy

New research examining alcohol industry contributions to inform the development of Australia’s national alcohol strategy exposes numerous ways the alcohol industry misrepresents science.
The present study analysed alcohol industry submissions into Australia’s National Alcohol Strategy to determine the content of these submissions and the ways in which evidence was used and misused.
This study describes five common assertions made by the alcohol industry in their attempts to influence the development of the Australian National Alcohol Strategy.

Through identifying these assertions, the study provides an understanding of the policy issues for which the alcohol industry is most concerted in directing their efforts.
The alcohol industry is misusing evidence in their submissions to government consultations to make their assertions about alcohol policy. It is therefore essential that industry submissions are scrutinised and not accepted on face value.
This demonstrates the need for tighter regulation of the alcohol industry, akin to the regulation of the tobacco industry under the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.