Issue Industry influence keeping regulation of addiction and unhealthy consumption weak

Summary

The report sees smoking and drinking, along with overweight, as the largest remaining causes of lost healthy life years. RIVM expects the share of smokers to fall only to 14 per cent by 2040, and the trend in alcohol consumption is hard to predict. The report judges that the tug of war between politics and the alcohol, tobacco and food industries means laws and rules meant to curb addiction and unhealthy consumption lack real force in practice. At the same time, the easy supply of unhealthy food in shopping streets, neighbourhoods and near schools and sports facilities makes healthy living harder. As a result, the loss of healthy years, unwanted health care costs and premature deaths linked to tobacco and alcohol remain unresolved.