Data Analysis and Related Applications, Volume 2

22Analysis of Alcohol Policy in Czechia: Estimation of Alcohol Policy Scale Compared to EU Countries

Czechia ranked fourth among OECD countries in pure alcohol consumption. Alcohol is one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality in Czechia − about 6% of total mortality is due to alcohol consumption. This is a serious health problem due to the high risk of cancer, alcohol morbidity and mortality, hospitalizations and treatment of alcohol dependence, and economic costs of alcohol consumption. This chapter summarizes the available information on alcohol policy and its restrictions in Czechia compared to EU-27 countries. A scale of Alcohol Policy for EU-27 states will be calculated. A literature review was conducted. Data sources included primarily the annual report on the state of drug affairs in Czechia in 2019 and WHO’s Global status report on alcohol and health 2018. A new innovative Alcohol Policy Scale was enumerated. Latvia, Lithuania and Sweden have the highest score value (18 points) on the scale. Luxembourg has the lowest performance (10 points). The EU-27 region can be divided into nine groups. This chapter confirmed disparities, and also progressive harmonization of alcohol control policies in the EU. The findings of this chapter may be considered in future research by analyzing further aspects of alcohol policy regulations.

22.1. Introduction

Czechia belongs to the countries with the highest level of excessive alcohol consumption in Europe. Per capita alcohol ...