WHO, Alcohol Policy Playbook; 2024
Abstract
Adults in the WHO European Region consume an average of 9.2 litres of pure alcohol per year, making them the heaviest drinkers globally. In this region, alcohol is a leading cause of death, responsible for nearly 800 000 deaths annually, largely from noncommunicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. Implementing evidence-based policies is crucial to safeguard public health and lessen the strain of alcohol-related harms on health systems and communities. A major obstacle to this is that policy-makers are often confronted with conflicting perspectives when addressing alcohol-related issues.
Developed by the WHO Regional Office for Europe, the Alcohol policy playbook is designed for policy-makers, advocates and public health professionals. It addresses key questions about the impact of alcohol and theefficacy of key policies, including pricing, availability controls, marketing restrictions, labelling, drink-driving interventions, and regulations for no- and low-alcohol products.
For each question, the Playbook contrasts the alcohol industry’s views with public health evidence, helping users to identify when alcohol-related issues are being framed from a commercial perspective. It guides policymakers to prioritize public health evidence with the aim of reducing alcohol-related harm, improving health outcomes and reducing the financial burden on public finances.