Political parties across the spectrum must strive together to tackle alcohol and substance abuse, KPCC President V M Sudheeran said today.
"I am for parties coming together to debate, rather than confront each other on this," he said addressing 'Subodham', a three-day international conference on 'Effective Strategies for the Prevention of Alcohol and Substance Abuse', which began yesterday.
There was need to go for a four-phased strategy which should include campaigning through primary classes and a permanent district-level mechanism to coordinate the police, Sudheeran, who has been at the forefront of the government's Abkari policy, said.
He noted that the Alcohol and Drug Information Centre India had congratulated the state government policy which brought down alcohol consumption by 20.27 per cent since the implementation of the new policy in April 2014.
Dr T N Seema, Rajya Sabha MP from the Opposition Left Democratic Front, said If the LDF came to power, it would not open new bars.
The master plan prepared by LDF government in 2009 had proposed the constitution of an 'authority' for tackling alcohol and substance abuse.
"To make Subodham into an effective body, it has to be made into an authority with necessary powers," she noted.
Global Policy advocate Derek Rutherford, speaking at a session on Global & National Policies/Strategies, said alcohol consumption was increasing because of the diminishing influence of a protective culture, as is the case with India.
"This culture is on the wane.It is wise that the state government has taken on the drinks industry," he added.
Global Alcohol Policy Alliance Chairperson Prof Sally Casswell, who noted that the drinks industry was appealing to growing market segments of young people and women, emphasised that policy making is an important first step in combating alcohol consumption.
The session was chaired by Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment Joint Secretary, Ghazala Meenai and Kozhikode Collector N Prashant.
The conference, inaugurated by chief minister, Oommen chandy, will showcase to delegates from around the world the state government's 2014-15 liquor policy aimed at an 'addiction free Kerala' by 2030.
Around 150 national and international delegates including representatives from the WHO, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the Global Alcohol Policy Alliance and NGOs are participating in the conference.
