Policies, education and mobilization
Despite the enormity of the challenge, evidence and experience strongly suggest that substance use problems can be reduced. Such efforts require the political will to tackle the problems and a smart mix of government policies, education activities, and mobilization of communities and NGOs. Particular attention should focus on implementing evidenced-based strategies, which necessarily include interventions to reduce the availability and the affordability of alcohol and illicit drugs.
WHO consultation on global alcohol strategy and the way forward
The World Health Organization (WHO) Global strategy to reduce the harmful use of alcohol was endorsed at the World Health Assembly in 2010. After nearly 10 years of implementation WHO is now consulting on the way forward and is inviting civil society to make submissions in an online consultation.
UYDEL, Uganda:
Involve young people as partners in prevention!
Young people must be regarded as resources and as partners in prevention. This is the core message in a video presentation from Uganda to the INCB in Vienna.
WAAPA appeal to WHO Afro:
A regional African alcohol coordination mechanism is needed
The West African Alcohol Policy Alliance has issued an appeal to the upcoming meeting of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa to prioritize the implementation of the regional alcohol control strategy.
Next GAPC to be held in Dublin in March 2020
The time and venue for the next Global Alcohol Policy Conference (GAPC) is now decided: Dublin in Ireland, 9-11 March 2020. This was announced in a joint statement by the GAPA chair and two Irish government ministers recently. Venue for the conference will be Dublin Castle.
New and challenging report:
Trouble Brewing
"Only through rigorous fidelity to facts and evidence will the public health response to the harms of alcohol advance and successfully counter misinformation from the alcohol industry”. This is one of the key messages from the recently launched report “Trouble brewing”.
SAFER – a new WHO initiative to boost national alcohol policy processes
WHO recently launched a new action package – SAFER. It aims at supporting the global target of reducing harmful use of alcohol by 10% by 2025. The initiative has been strongly supported by several global civil society networks.
WHO Launches Global status report on alcohol and health 2018
In 2016, the harmful use of alcohol resulted in some 3 million deaths (5.3% of all deaths) worldwide. Mortality resulting from alcohol consumption is higher than that caused by diseases such as tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and diabetes. These are among the new figures presented by the World Health Organization (WHO) in the Global status report on alcohol and health 2018 released today. The report also demonstrates that the age-standardized alcohol-attributable burden of disease and injury was highest in the WHO African Region.
First national alcohol policy conference to be held in Uganda
In the end of November civil society leaders, researchers and government representatives will meet for Uganda’s first national alcohol policy conference. Topic: “Unite against alcohol harm: A call for action”.
Advertising regulations must focus more on alcohol promotion through social media
Regulations on alcohol advertising must to a larger extent focus on exposures in social media, as these media play an increasingly larger role, both in marketing strategies and in young peoples’ lives. This challenge comes from a newly published report in the UK.
The West African Alcohol Policy Alliance officially launched
The newly established West African Alcohol Policy Alliance was officially launched with a ceremony in Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone. Professor Isidore Obot welcomed the new branch of the Global Alcohol Policy Alliance in his capacity as vice-chair of GAPA: “WAAPA is a strongly needed civil society voice”.