Cambodian Institute for Democracy

In the afternoon of December 14, 2023, Pa Chanroeun, President of the Cambodian Institute for Democracy, and representatives of the partner organizations, the People’s Centre for Development and Peace (PDP-Center), the Youth Coalition for Unity and Development (YCUD), and Human Rights Alliance Cambodia (CHRAC), paid a courtesy call on Lok Chumteav Lork Kheng, the Chairperson of the Committee on Health, Social Affairs, Veterans, Youth Rehabilitation, Vocational Training, and Women’s Affairs of the National Assembly, and members of the 8th Committee. The purpose of this meeting is to examine and explore ways to prevent the effects of alcohol, especially to consider legal mechanisms and increase taxes on alcohol production, especially to accelerate the adoption of a law on alcohol control in Cambodia.

At the meeting, representatives of civil society organisations informed the Eighth Commission on the National Survey of Adults on Tobacco 2021 by the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Planning, which shows that 64% of men and 25% of women are 15 years old. Consumed alcohol. In 2022, the number of traffic accidents nationwide increased by 14% compared to 2021, with 22,976 cases, 1,709 deaths, and 4,026 injuries, of which 2,579 were seriously injured and 316 offenders were sent. Hold the court, and the driver is intoxicated at 4%.

In response to all of these alcohol-related problems, one of the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) mechanisms, effective alcohol regulations and special taxation on alcohol products, is an effective mechanism. Lok Chumteav Kheng added that in terms of public health, the Royal Government of Cambodia has been working to increase the national budget every year, and in recent years, the government has increased the budget for the health sector in 2024 to 550 million US dollars to promote. There is extensive global health coverage throughout the provincial capital. Before concluding, Lok Chumteav, Chairman of the 8th Committee of the National Assembly, requested the representatives of all organizations to continue to raise funds to cooperate with the 8th Committee of the National Assembly to conduct a joint joint campaign for the fight against Non-communicable diseases through the risks arising from the use of alcohol, as overcoming non-communicable diseases reduces poverty, and agree to accept the mechanism of raising the tax on alcohol by reducing advertising Liquor and soft drinks on the streets, because if higher taxes, higher retail prices, lower consumer numbers, lower risk factors, and the 8th Commission will accelerate the adoption of law on alcohol control in Cambodia.