WHO releases alcohol strategy guidance for European states

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has released the Handbook for action to reduce alcohol related harm. The handbook is aimed at policy makers to help them 'review, adjust or strengthen their alcohol action plans and explores ten areas for action'. WHO has also released the supporting Evidence for the effectiveness and cost–effectiveness of interventions to reduce alcohol-related harm.

The guidance identifies the 10 key areas for action on alcohol as:

1. alcohol pricing
2. the availability of alcohol
3. the marketing of alcoholic beverages
4. illegally and informally produced alcohol
5. drink–driving
6. drinking environments
7. health care interventions
8. public awareness-raising
9. community and workplace action
10. monitoring and evaluation

Note: not listed by WHO in order of efficacy

The document provides a comprehensive assessment of each of the areas for action through assessing the background, strategies, options, stakeholders and available tools for action. The handbook also draws on learning from a range of other reports and findings and examines the key factors that influence effective alcohol strategy 'infrastructures'.

The supporting review of effective alcohol interventions document provides an in depth analysis of research findings. The abstract states:

"Policies that regulate the economic and physical availability of alcohol are effective in reducing alcohol-related harm. Enforced legislative measures to reduce drinking and driving and interventions individually directed to drinkers already at risk are also effective. The evidence shows that information and education programmes do not reduce alcohol-related harm; nevertheless, they have a role in providing information, reframing alcohol-related problems and increasing attention to alcohol on the political and public agendas... Brief interventions for individual high-risk drinkers are also cost–effective, but are harder to scale up because of their associated training and manpower needs."