Addressing the harmful use of alcohol - WHO Western Pacific Region

Addressing the harmful use of alcohol : A guide to developing effective alcohol legislation
drinkers. Prevention strategies, such as education and persuasion, although perhaps
the most widely applied, are not necessarily effective. Recent evidence suggests that
population-based policy measures such as taxation are the most cost-effective public
health response to the alcohol-related disease burden in countries with moderate
and high levels of alcohol consumption, whereas measures targeted at high-risk or
harmful drinkers, such as brief interventions, appear to be more effective where the
rates of hazardous consumption of alcohol are lower.
The focus of this guide
Based on recognition by the World Health Assembly of evidence-based strategies and
interventions to reduce alcohol-related harm, this guide focuses on policies that research
reviews have identified as most effective and cost-effective, and that require legislation to
implement.
The guide provides legislative advice for implementing policies:
• To reduce the affordability of alcohol through policies on taxation and price;
• To reduce the availability of alcohol by restricting and/or regulating the sale of alcohol to
the public;
• To reduce alcohol consumption by children and young people by setting a minimum age
for sale and purchase;
• To monitor and enforce legislation and policy;
• To reduce exposure to alcohol marketing; and
• To deter drinking and driving.
Alcohol legislation should be undertaken with careful consideration of local circumstances and
the preparation of an implementation plan. The last section of this guide offers a checklist for
an implementation process and discussion of implementation issues.
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