Presented by Keith Humphreys, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, California,  USA

South Africa is one of a number of developing countries which have experienced an upsurge in binge drinking and alcohol-related illness, crime and disorder.   Stemming the disease and social burden of alcohol is essential for public health and public safety and also may facilitate economic development in poorer regions of the country. 

But implementing effective alcohol policy is challenging due to policymakers and the public not being aware of the evidence base, and because public health interests and the financial interests of powerful political actors may conflict.  This presentation discusses what is known about the effectiveness of different alcohol policies, both at the population and individual level.  Although the primary focus of the talk is on alcohol policy, where appropriate lessons will be drawn from efforts to regulate tobacco and illegal drugs.

Kindly RSVP by 21 September 2012
 
Cape Town: HSRC, 12th Floor, Plein Park Building (Opposite Revenue Office), Plein Street, Cape Town. Contact Jean Witten, Tel (021) 4668004, Fax (021) 461 0299, or JWitten@hsrc.ac.za

Durban:  First floor HSRC board room, 750 Francois Road, Ntuthuko Junction, Pods 5 and 6, Cato Manor, Contact Ridhwaan Khan, Tel (031) 242 5400, cell: 083 788 2786 or RKhan@hsrc.ac.za

Pretoria: HSRC Video Conference, 1st floor HSRC Library Human Sciences Research Council, 134 Pretorius Street, Pretoria. Arlene Grossberg, Tel: (012) 302 2811, e-mail: acgrossberg@hsrc.ac.za