Phnom Penh: The Southeast Asia Public Policy Institute (SEAPPI) and Asian Vision Institute (AVI) have announced a new collaboration aimed at addressing harmful alcohol consumption in Cambodia. The partnership, unveiled on February 10, marks an effort to understand and mitigate the impacts of alcohol misuse in the country.
According to Agence Kampuchea Presse, this collaboration will result in the development of a policy white paper focusing on responsible drinking guidelines in Cambodia. This project is the inaugural initiative under a broader Memorandum of Understanding, designed to foster policy research and dialogue across various crucial sectors such as sustainability, energy, technology, and public health.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) highlights a global reduction in alcohol-related deaths by 20 percent from 2010 to 2019, yet Cambodia continues to struggle with rising levels of harmful drinking and high road traffic-related fatalities, particularly among young adults aged 20 to 29. The lack of current and reliable data on drinking patterns and the prevalence of unrecorded alcohol, which accounts for 48 percent of total consumption, exacerbates the situation.
The initiative aims to deepen understanding of harmful drinking in Cambodia through a comprehensive review of existing data, a newly conducted national survey, and an analysis of global best practices. Dr. Chandara Gnim, CEO of MM4A, in partnership with the National Institute of Social Affairs, will spearhead this effort to explore social trends and cultural attitudes towards alcohol.
The project seeks to provide the Cambodian government with practical policy recommendations, including national drinking guidelines and educational programmes promoting responsible consumption. With 89 countries already offering government-issued drinking advice, Cambodia aims to join this initiative to guide its citizens towards healthier drinking habits.
Funded by the Asia Pacific International Spirits and Wine Alliance (APISWA), the research will be independently conducted and discussed at a policy roundtable on March 6, 2025, including representatives from both private and public sectors.
Ed Ratcliffe, Executive Director of SEAPPI, expressed enthusiasm about partnering with AVI, emphasizing the importance of addressing harmful alcohol consumption through expert collaboration. Dr. Chheng Kimlong, President of AVI, echoed this sentiment, highlighting the initiative’s potential to improve public health policies in Cambodia.
Additionally, the Cambodian alcohol industry is independently working to introduce self-regulation measures, such as a Responsible Marketing Code and a Legal Purchase Age, to curb underage access to alcohol.