Alcohol in the European Union: WHO releases updated report on data and policy for EU

A new report from the World Health Organization (WHO) updates data on alcohol in the European Union (EU) and effective policies to address related harm.

Download Alcohol in the European Union. Consumption, harm and policy approaches

The report uses information gathered in 2011 to update key indicators on alcohol consumption, health outcomes and gives an overview of the latest research on effective alcohol policies. It includes data from the EU, Norway and Switzerland on alcohol consumption, harm and policy approaches.

The summary states:

Alcohol is one of the world’s top three priority areas in public health. Even though only half the global population drinks alcohol, it is the world’s third leading cause of ill health and premature death, after low birth weight and unsafe sex. In Europe, alcohol is the third leading risk factor for disease and death after tobacco and high blood pressure.

Previous WHO alcohol reports include:

• Handbook for action to reduce alcohol related harm
• Evidence for the effectiveness and cost–effectiveness of interventions to reduce alcohol-related harm
• The Global status report on alcohol and health (2011)
• The Global strategy to reduce harmful use of alcohol