GC27 Alcohol and Other Chemically Addictive Substances (1977A457)

THAT this 27th General Council expresses its concern about the abuse of beverage alcohol by requesting:

1. The Division of Mission in Canada to continue its study of the subject;
2. THAT this study be a priority of the twenty-eighth General Council;
3. THAT the Division of Mission in Canada continue to support projects concerned with the rehabilitation of alcoholics, or action that may have the effect of reducing the over-consumption and abuse of beverage alcohol.
4. AFFIRM the position of the previous General Councils, particularly the 19th General Council, that the practice of non-use of alcoholic beverages is the wisest and safest course.
5. AFFIRM the position of the 19th General Council that those who exercise their right to use alcoholic beverages ought to avoid any excess.
6. DECLARE that the most important gift that people of the church can bring to the alcohol problem is the gift of love for one another, a gift that involves acceptance, forgiveness, listening and hope. This gift is inclusive, and involves the serious attempt to understand persons under stress, and the social and economic settings that make the escape of drugs attractive.
7. COMMEND all governments that are using advertising to warn of the dangers of alcohol misuse. And also commend those governments that support stimulating educational programs to alert the public about personal habits and lifestyles that destroy health.
8. CALL on all appropriate government agencies and legislators to take the initiative through federal-provincial action to create uniform laws in this country which would lead to step-by-step removal of all forms of advertising of alcohol and tobacco in Canada, while providing measures to ensure the viability of a healthy Canadian publishing industry.
9. STRONGLY urge federal and provincial governments to implement Section 10 of AM, FM and TV regulations of the CRTC regarding the control of liquor, beer, wine and cider advertising.
10. ASK governments to give more public visibility to their alcohol and tobacco revenues and produce a cost analysis of government receipts from the taxes on these products, indicating disbursements for rehabilitation, hospitalization, court and other costs associated with alcohol and alcohol abuse.
11. RECOMMEND to provincial governments that alcohol prices should be pegged to average income, and in line with research on the connection between higher prices and lower incidence of alcoholism, to raise the price of alcohol to a level that would reduce abuse, as well as cover the costs to the public re: rehabilitation, courts, hospitalization, etc.
12. URGE provincial governments to ensure that in all licensed premises non-alcoholic beverages are available at reasonable prices.
13. URGE provincial governments to pass legislation to make the advertising accounts of distillers, brewers and wine producers available to the public.

GC27 1977 ROP, pp. 86, 308