Social Policy MInister Michael Falzon on Wednesday called for a national "culture change" in the way alcohol is consumed in Malta, as he launched a six-week public consultation on the country's National Alcohol Policy, all the way up to 2030, with the aim of reducing alcohol-related harm.
Speaking during a press conference on Wednesday, Falzon said the time had come to "seriously consider courageous measures" to address the harmful impact of alcohol abuse on individuals, families, and society.
Professor Richard Muscat, who explained the policy, said that alcohol-related harm in Malta is rising and mostly linked to accidents, interpersonal violence, and long-term health conditions such as cardiovascular and digestive diseases.
According to World Health Organization data from 2019, excessive alcohol use accounts for around 30% of unintentional injuries and is a significant contributor to death and disability among people aged 20 to 40, especially men.
Despite efforts to curb underage drinking and raise awareness among adults, the country remains one of the few in Europe where alcohol consumption has increased, by around 23% in recent years, while other countries have seen reductions of up to 10%.
If no action is taken, consumption in Malta is projected to reach 10-11 litres of pure alcohol per person annually by 2030.
"Our aim is clear: to bring consumption down and with it, the harmful effects. Even behaviours like having six or more drinks in one occasion have been on the rise," Muscat said.
In the local context, of the 210,671 once in a lifetime drinker, 184,731 are recent consumers of alcohol and some 150,905 are current drinkers.
Of these, the highest percentages are always to be found in the youngest age bracket, that is the 15-24-year old's, such that 91% report lifetime use, and of these, 96% are recent drinkers, whilst 77% are current drinkers.
Recent data in 2023 also show that the rise in consumption is being driven largely by women. In 2001, 64.2% of women in Malta reported drinking alcohol; today, that figure has increased to 79%. Meanwhile, men have maintained historically higher rates of alcohol consumption from 86.9% in 2001 to 86.2% in 2023.
The proposed policy also targets young people. In 1995, 90% of adolescents had tried alcohol.
That figure dropped to 80% by 2019, and the goal is to bring it further down to 70-75%. "We've seen a drop in youth smoking from 60% to 20% after aggressive anti-tobacco campaigns. If we apply the same measures to alcohol, we can expect similar results," Muscat said.
The draft policy outlines a number of proposals and actions aimed at reducing the availability, accessibility, and acceptability of alcohol, particularly among young people.
The document is proposing mandatory training for servers and bartenders, such as through the Institute of Tourism Studies (ITS), on how to identify intoxicated individuals and intervene when necessary, even going as far as taking away car keys in serious situations.
It is also proposing short alcohol screening procedures in clinics and health centres to identify harmful drinking patterns and refer individuals for support.
Muscat suggested that a new alcohol unit, similar to existing drug monitoring structures, to collect data and evaluate the effectiveness of implemented measures, could be considered.
The proposed actions in Malta's draft National Alcohol Policy aim to foster a more responsible and health-conscious drinking culture through community collaboration and regulation.
One of the key priorities is to discourage alcogenic environments - settings that promote excessive drinking - by promoting a culture of responsibility among both the public and community police.
Local councils would play a central role by designating specific public areas, especially those frequented by children and adolescents, as alcohol-free zones.
In addition, it proposes stricter controls on alcohol advertising and promotions such as happy hours, which often encourage excessive drinking through cheap prices.
To reinforce legal drinking age rules, all alcohol sellers would be required to display clear signage stating that alcohol will not be sold to anyone under 17, and age verification will be mandatory when in doubt.
Retailers would also be required to store alcohol in designated areas out of children's reach and away from youth-oriented products, and all alcoholic beverages must carry clear health warnings and content labels.
Stronger enforcement is planned through increased fines, temporary licence suspensions, and mandatory education programmes for sellers who break the law, such as selling alcohol to minors or intoxicated individuals.
The government also aims to legislate against alcohol advertising on platforms with young audiences and consider restrictions at sports and cultural events.
The health-focused section includes measures to expand alcohol education in schools and higher education, run public health campaigns, and develop targeted interventions for vulnerable groups.
Routine alcohol screening is to be introduced in health centres, hospitals, and GP clinics to detect harmful drinking early and ensure proper treatment pathways for alcohol use disorders
The document proposes that offenders with alcohol-related issues and their families would also receive tailored interventions to prevent domestic and interpersonal violence.
The document also addresses road safety, to be addressed through mandatory education and counselling for drink-driving offenders, as well as improved public transport during major events and promotion of designated drivers.
Stronger policing of public order in nightlife areas and action on alcohol misuse in the workplace are also being proposed.
To support implementation, the policy proposes the creation of an Alcohol Focal Point to monitor data, a National Coordinating Body to align stakeholder actions, and a wider Action Group to guide policy development and community engagement.
Lastly, Malta will aim to strengthen its participation in international alcohol policy fora by establishing a national network of experts, the document proposed.
Minister Falzon said that for any policy to work, attitudes toward alcohol must evolve.
"Alcohol has become too acceptable. In some countries, you will not even see it on display, you have to ask for it and it is brought out from a cupboard. Maybe we should consider designated alcohol sections in shops, and warning labels on bottles, like we did with cigarettes," Falzon said.
He made a heartfelt appeal for people to take part in the consultation, adding that many regret actions taken under the influence of alcohol.
"Saying 'I was drunk' is not a justification. It is not an excuse. That is one of the key messages we want to get across," he said.
"There's personal harm and social harm, to your relationships, to your behaviour. We need to confront this honestly. Let us do what is within our reach," Falzon said.
Falzon said that "we will not solve everything, but we need to do what we can. Just like the radical shift we made with smoking, let us try to do the same with alcohol," Falzon said.
The public consultation is open until 31 July, and the public is invited to read the policy document and submit their feedback through family.gov.mt, where the document can be downloaded.