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🇮🇸 Iceland /Health & Science

Icelandic Health Official Warns of Increased Alcohol Access Making It 'More Attractive and Innocent'

From Morgunblaðið · () Icelandic

Translated from Icelandic and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Context piece
  • Iceland's Directorate of Health reports a rise in online alcohol sales, with many retailers lacking proper age verification.
  • The official warns that increased accessibility makes alcohol appear more attractive and less dangerous, particularly to young people.
  • The directorate advocates for stricter enforcement of existing laws and maintaining state control over alcohol sales to protect public health.

Iceland is facing a growing concern over increased access to alcohol, particularly through online channels, which a public health official warns is making the substance "more attractive and innocent." Dóra Guðrún Guðmundsdóttir, head of public health at the Directorate of Health, stated that the community has allowed adolescent alcohol consumption to rise, largely due to easier access.

When we increase access, consumption increases. We are guided by the interests of children and adolescents.

— Dóra Guðrún GuðmundsdóttirHead of public health at the Directorate of Health, explaining the link between alcohol accessibility and consumption, prioritizing youth well-being.

"Nearly 30 online alcohol retailers have emerged," Guðmundsdóttir told mbl.is, adding that the Directorate's review found most of these retailers have insufficient age verification. Furthermore, alcohol can be delivered by various couriers who do not always check identification. Guðmundsdóttir described the situation as "out of control," with society "losing its grip."

This is really just getting out of control. We are losing our grip.

— Dóra Guðrún GuðmundsdóttirDescribing the current state of alcohol accessibility and regulation in Iceland.

She pointed to financial interests as a driving force behind the push for greater alcohol accessibility, suggesting that those advocating for it prioritize profit over public well-being. Guðmundsdóttir stressed that the Directorate of Health's sole interest is to convey research findings and data. "When we increase access, consumption increases. We are guided by the interests of children and adolescents," she asserted.

Financial interests are steering the ship.

— Dóra Guðrún GuðmundsdóttirCommenting on the motivations behind the push for increased alcohol access.

The official also highlighted the impact of advertising, noting that even 11-year-olds have reportedly received alcohol advertisements on their phones from online stores. Colorful alcoholic beverages, often resembling soft drinks, are part of this trend, potentially making alcohol seem less dangerous. The Directorate of Health recommends stricter enforcement of current laws, including closing illegal online stores and reinforcing the public health benefit of state-controlled alcohol sales, as advised by the World Health Organization.

Let's enforce the laws of the country, punish illegal acts, and close illegal stores. Most of these online stores are illegal.

— Dóra Guðrún GuðmundsdóttirProposing measures to control alcohol sales and enforce existing regulations.
About this summary

Originally published by Morgunblaðið in Icelandic. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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