More alcohol has started to be consumed in Estonia, Wednesday's "Aktuaalne kaamera" reported. 

Kristina Köhler, the World Health Organization's (WHO) representative in Estonia, said the lowering of the alcohol excise duty in 2019 and the changes in society accompanied by the coronavirus pandemic are important factors.

"If you look at the objectives of alcohol policy in Estonia, it is true that they have not been achieved. Consumption has not gone down as much as hoped. However, what has been achieved is that young people in Estonia are generally starting to consume alcohol at a later age. This is a positive trend. And secondly, road accidents caused by alcohol have decreased," Köhler said.

Health experts would like to see alcohol sales hours and sales points reduced. Lithuania and Latvia have made similar changes in recent years. But, at the same time, the measures must support each other.

"If we deal with limiting the time availability of alcohol, but we do not set any restrictions on distance sales, when a courier or a package comes to the post office machine, then this original restriction would not work," said Rainer Reile, a senior researcher at the National Institute for Health Development (TAI).

Minister of Health Riina Sikkut (SDE) said that the increase in alcohol excise duty cannot be introduced suddenly. Under the terms of the last budget, the government agreed alcohol excise duty would increase by 5 percent over the next four years.

"The desire is for the price of alcohol to rise in line with the general cost of living, so that alcohol does not become relatively cheaper. In the autumn, when we discuss the budget strategy again, the rate of increase in alcohol excise duty for the next few years can be reviewed, but I do not think there is support for a steep increase," she said.

The minister said new proposals to reduce drinking are expected next year.

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