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Aims and design The historical and economic involvement of Brazil with tobacco, as a major producer and exporter, was considered an insurmountable obstacle to controlling the consumption of this product. Nevertheless, the country was able to achieve significant progress in implementing public policies and to take an international leadership position, meeting its constitutional commitment to protect public health. In this paper we provide a brief historical overview of tobacco control ( TC) in Brazil, and analyse the factors that contributed to the major decline in tobacco consumption in the country over the last 20 years, as well as identify the challenges that had to be overcome and those still at play. Findings The Brazilian case demonstrates how cross-sectorial collaborations among health-related groups that capitalize on their respective strengths and capacities can help to influence public policy and overcome industry and population resistance to change. Although Brazil still lags behind some leading TC nations, the country has an extensive collaborative TC network that was built over time and continues to focus upon this issue. Conclusions The tobacco experience can serve as an example for other fields, such as alcoholic beverages, of how networks can be formed to influence the legislative process and the development of public policies. Brazilian statistics show that problems related to non-communicable diseases are a pressing public health issue, and advocacy groups, policy-makers and government departments can benefit from tobacco control history to fashion their own strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The National Institute of Public Policy for Alcohol and Other Drugs (INPAD) is based at the Federal University of São Paulo, Brazil, and was created to collect scientific evidence regarding epidemiology, develop new therapeutic approaches, study health economics and provide education to subsidize the proper measures to change the Brazilian scenario of alcohol and drug consumption. Policies directed towards the control of alcohol and drugs in Brazil are fragmented, poorly enforced and therefore ineffective. The unregulated market of alcohol in Brazil has contributed to the worsening health of the Brazilian population. Since 1994, INPAD has participated actively in academic debates and discussions about alcohol and drug policies and their effects on the political welfare of the country. Many scientific papers and books have been published on this subject, and the internet and other media have provided excellent opportunities for the dissemination of specialized information to the general population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Aims To examine the proportion of self-reported alcohol consumed by different gender and age groups in Brazil over the past year, and to examine whether the 'prevention paradox' applies to Brazilian data on alcohol-related problems. Design A multi-stage cluster sample, representative of the Brazilian household population. Setting This study was conducted in Brazil between November 2005 and April 2006. Participants Respondents were aged ≥ 14 years (n = 3007). Measurements Measures included past year estimates of (i) number of standard drinks, (ii) frequency of binge drinking, and (iii) alcohol-related problems. Findings The survey response rate was 66.4%. The top 2.5% of the drinkers by volume consume 14.9%, the top 5% consume 27.4% and the top 10% consume 44.2% of all alcohol consumed in Brazil. Men consume 77.8% of the total alcohol, and 18-29-year-olds consume 40.3%. Individuals below risky drinking guidelines for weekly volumetric intake account for 49-50% of all problem drinkers and 45-47% of all problem types reported. Individuals who do not binge or who binge infrequently (1-3 times/year) account for 50-51% of all problem drinkers and 45-46% of all reported problem types. Most binge drinkers are low-volume drinkers. Conclusions Consistent with the prevention paradox literature, most drinking problems in Brazil are associated with low or moderate drinking. Binge drinking accounts more clearly for the distribution of alcohol problems than total volume consumed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author discusses the article on alcohol use in Brazil and its prevention paradox by R. Caetano and colleagues. He says that the article provides an anatomy of drinking patterns and related problems in the country with both high rates of alcohol consumption disorders and abstention. He states that there is no such thing as fully risk-free drinking. He mentions the use of the prevention paradox to promote public health policies limiting he physical and economic availability of alcohols.