Substance Use and Misuse

POSITION:

Public Health has an important mandate in key areas related to the use of alcohol and other drugs, including activities in chronic disease prevention, injury prevention, substance abuse prevention and harm reduction. Comprehensive strategies to address the potential harms of substance use can only succeed through a combination of interventions: education, prevention, harm reduction, treatment and enforcement.

ACTIVE RESOLUTIONS:

Resolution	Recent Developments
A08-2 - Establish Stricter Advertising Standards for Alcohol:  THAT the Association of Local Public Health Agencies petition the federal government, Ontario government, and Advertising Standards Council to establish stricter advertising standards for alcohol.	December 11 2009 Reply received from the Premier's Office - Please click here to read. November 21, 2008 Letter written to the Premier of Ontario informing him of this and other alcohol-related resolutions passed in October 2008. Please click here to read.
A08-3 - Advocacy for an Enhanced Provincial Public Education and Promotion Campaign on the Negative Health Impacts of Alcohol Misuse:  THAT the Association of Local Public Health Agencies petition the Ontario government to create an enhanced public education and promotion campaign on the negative health impacts of alcohol misuse as one component of a comprehensive strategy	December 11 2009 Reply received from the Premier's Office - Please click here to read. November 21, 2008 Letter written to the Premier of Ontario informing him of this and other alcohol-related resolutions passed in October 2008. Please click here to read.
A08-4 - Eliminate the Availability of Alcohol Except in Liquor Control Board Outlets (LCBO) (i.e. Increase Point of Sale Control) : THAT that the Association of Local Public Health Agencies (alPHa) petition the Ontario government to maintain its monopoly on off-premise liquor sales through the Liquor Control Board of Ontario;   AND FURTHER THAT alPHa petition the Ontario government to retain oversight of beverage alcohol at Ontario wineries, microbreweries and the Beer Store through the provisions of the Liquor License Act;   AND FURTHER THAT alPHa petition the Ontario Government to fully consult with health experts, including but not limited to alPHa, the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and the Ontario Public Health Association before making any policy changes to the availability of beverage alcohol.	December 11 2009 Reply received from the Premier's Office - Please click here to read. November 21, 2008 Letter written to the Premier of Ontario informing him of this and other alcohol-related resolutions passed in October 2008. Please click here to read.
A08-5 - Advocacy for Enactment of a 0% Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) Limit on Drivers Until They Reach the Age Of 21 Years:  THAT the Association of Local Public Health Agencies petition the Ontario government to enact a 0% Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) limit on drivers until they reach the age of 21 years.	May 1 2009 Bill 126 amendments to the Highway Traffic Act passed into law, including the enactment of a 0% BAC for all drivers under the age of 22. This portion of the HTA is expected to come into force in 2010. Feb 18 2008 alPHa has forwarded this and two other resolutions to the Standing Committee on General Government as it considers changes to Ontario's traffic safety legislation under Bill 126, Road Safety Act 2008. Please clike here to read November 21, 2008 Letter written to the Premier of Ontario informing him of this and other alcohol-related resolutions passed in October 2008. Please click here to read.
A08-6 - Advocacy to Reduce the Legal Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) from 0.08% to 0.05%:  THAT the Association of Local Public Health Agencies petition the Ontario government to reduce the legal BAC from 0.08% to 0.05%.	May 1 2009 Bill 126 amendments to the Highway Traffic Act passed into law, including the enactment of an immediate 3-day suspension of the driver's license if BAC is measured at more than 0.05 mg/L.  Feb 18 2008 alPHa has forwarded this and two other resolutions to the Standing Committee on General Government as it considers changes to Ontario's traffic safety legislation under Bill 126, Road Safety Act 2008. Please clike here to read November 21, 2008 Letter written to the Premier of Ontario informing him of this and other alcohol-related resolutions passed in October 2008. Please click here to read.
A08-7 - Promoting Safe Driving in Young Drivers:  THAT the Association of Local Public Health Agencies request the province that in the development of a comprehensive strategy for alcohol and other drugs, they include designated driver initiatives as one prevention measure with specific focus on youth	Feb 18 2008 alPHa has forwarded this and two other resolutions to the Standing Committee on General Government as it considers changes to Ontario's traffic safety legislation under Bill 126, Road Safety Act 2008. Please clike here to read December 11 2009 Reply received from the Premier's Office - Please click here to read. November 21, 2008 Letter written to the Premier of Ontario informing him of this and other alcohol-related resolutions passed in October 2008. Please click here to read.
A07-6, Advocate for a Provincial Strategy to Address Substance Use  THAT the Association of Local Public Health Agencies request that the provincial government develop a comprehensive provincial strategy for alcohol and other drugs based on the four components of prevention, harm reduction, treatment and enforcement, in collaboration with the Ontario Health Education and Enforcement Partnership (HEP) initiative	October 31, 2007 Letter written to the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care introducing this and several other resolutions passed at the 2007 alPHa AGM. Please click here to read.

CLOSED RESOLUTIONS