Greenland minister declines to promise immediate alcohol curbs

Greenland’s health minister has declined to promise immediate changes to alcohol rules, despite a recent alcohol-related killing in South Greenland and calls for tougher measures. In an interview with DR, Anna Wangenheim said political talks on a long-term alcohol agreement would begin soon.

Wangenheim said the government expected to hold initial discussions and agree on basic principles before the end of the year. The parties have different views on alcohol, she said, and needed to reach agreement.

Grethe Kramer Berthelsen, founder of Katsorsaavik, an addiction treatment centre in Nuuk, said politicians were not acting quickly enough. She said alcohol misuse had serious effects on families, particularly children, and described problems in families with children as increasing even as alcohol consumption had fallen.

Wangenheim said alcohol was a serious problem, especially for children, but rejected the view that the government was moving too slowly. She said Greenland’s circumstances meant recommendations developed elsewhere might not address local patterns of drinking, including parties held in private homes and after bars close. Police reports showed that injuries occurred in those settings, she said.

Asked what measures could prevent such incidents in private homes, Wangenheim said the issue required discussion and that she did not yet have a solution. She said the government wanted to implement many of the recommendations on alcohol policy.

Greenland’s Health Council called for stronger measures, including implementing recommendations presented to Greenland’s parliament in 2024. They include raising the minimum age for buying alcohol from 18 to 21, establishing a monopoly on alcohol sales and restricting sales at weekends. Council chair Kjeld Møller Pedersen said the proposals would be seen by many as restrictive, but could help protect children and young people.

In 2025, average consumption was 8.3 litres of pure alcohol per person aged over 14 in Greenland, compared with 8.8 litres per person aged over 18 in Denmark. The article also reported that 34 per cent of people over 15 in Greenland and 25 per cent of people over 16 in Denmark drank five or more alcoholic drinks on one occasion at least once a month.

Berthelsen called for urgent, concrete action, saying the issue had been repeatedly put off and that Greenlandic society could not afford further delay.