Sobriety Union argues that allowing advertisements for alcohol encourages young people to abuse alcohol.

TALLINN — Alcoholism is a major social problem in Estonia.

According to the Estonian Institute of Economic Research, the average Estonian consumed 11.9 liters of alcohol in 2008, placing it in second place for alcohol consumption in Europe.

While other countries such as the United Kingdom are considering minimum pricing for drinks in bars to curtail happy hour, in Estonia alcohol advertising and the ability to sell alcohol in shops is being targeted.

Anti-alcohol advocacy organization Sobriety Union is urging the Estonian government to take a more Scandinavian policy of restricting takeaway alcohols sales to government-run shops and banning alcohol advertisement.

There are 195 alcohol sales places per 100,000 citizens in Estonia, compared to 4.5 places in Norway and Sweden. Meanwhile advertisements portraying the alcohol-related lifestyle as attractive often show young people imbibing.

The organization sent a note to the government and parliament on Jan. 6 encouraging them to move ahead with a comprehensive alcohol policy, something in the works since 2007.

Sobriety Union argues that a comprehensive alcohol policy would significantly reduce the consumption of alcohol among people, and would also decrease the state’s financial losses caused by solving the alcohol-related problems.

“Our criticism is not directed mainly towards social ministry as according to our information the ministry itself wasn’t a drag but the government as a whole,” Lauri Beekmann, chief of the Sobriety Union told Baltic Reports. “It is possible that there is one minister or another who does not agree to confirm such document but who and why exactly, we do not know.”

How much of an impact Sobriety Union’s efforts are making on government policy remains unclear. The Ministry of Social Affairs said it is continuing to discuss alcohol laws but is not committing to the measures advocated by the Sobriety Union.

“We have carried out the round table meetings with alcohol beverage manufacturers resulting in many proposals for example on advertisement regulation for not to seduce the minors to consume alcoholic beverages,” Eli Lilles, spokeswoman of social ministry told Baltic Reports. “In 2010 we are planning to reopen the alcohol memorandum, also the sales and advertisement control measures would need a discussion.”