Our work on harmful use of alcohol
The Alcohol, Drugs and Addictive Behaviours Unit supports countries in implementation of the Global strategy to reduce the harmful use of alcohol and development and implementation of multisectoral action plans and programme activities in attainment of target 3.5 and other alcohol-related targets in the Sustainable Development Goals.
The Units work consists of:
- developing, disseminating and evaluating evidence-informed technical guidance and tools supporting implementation of the global strategy, as well as documenting and monitoring implementation of alcohol policies and their impact on population's health;
- coordinating activities within WHO and working in close collaboration and interaction with other units in WHO Headquarters, regional and country offices on reducing the harmful use of alcohol and strengthening national responses;
- working with focal points in the governments of Member States, UN agencies and other intergovernmental organizations, and, as appropriate, with non-governmental organizations, academic institutions and other relevant entities at international, regional and national levels on prevention and reduction of alcohol-related harm;
- leading implementation of the SAFER initiative in Member States and engaging in dialogue with different entities regarding programmatic activities across WHO on reducing the harmful use of alcohol; and,
- generating, collating, compiling and disseminating valid and reliable information on alcohol consumption, its impact on population health and policy and program responses.
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Governance and mandates
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Global alcohol action plan 2022-2030

During the Sixty-third session of the World Health Assembly, held in Geneva in May 2010, the 193 Member States of WHO reached an historical consensus on...
Our activities
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The Global status report on alcohol and health and treatment of substance use disorders presents a comprehensive overview of alcohol consumption, alcohol-related...

This comprehensive report details the full extent of the way that alcohol is being marketed across national borders – often by digital means –...

The SAFER technical package
The technical package for the SAFER initiative focuses on five key alcohol policy interventions that are based on accumulated evidence of their impact...

Harm to others from drinking: patterns in nine societies
The adverse consequences of alcohol consumption include the negative consequences of drinking on individuals other than the drinkers themselves, including...

The WHO ASSIST package for hazardous and harmful substance use
Manuals for the Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST) and the ASSIST-linked brief interventionsThe ASSIST package, which...

This manual is written to help primary health care workers - physicians, nurses, community health workers, and others - to deal with persons whose alcohol...
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Related departments and units
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Regional Office for Africa
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Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean
Mental Health and Substance Use
Regional Office for Europe
Regional Office for South-East Asia
NCDs
Regional Office for the Western Pacific