The document summarizes the Global Strategy to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol endorsed by the 63rd World Health Assembly in 2010. The strategy focuses on 10 key policy areas and interventions at the national level, and 4 priority areas for global action to address the harmful use of alcohol. It recognizes the close links between alcohol harm and socioeconomic development. Member states are urged to adopt and implement the strategy to complement national public health policies and mobilize resources to reduce alcohol harm.

1. GLOBAL STRATEGY TO REDUCE
HARMFUL USE OF ALCOHOL
CHARLLOT MAE G. MAGNO
1O – JOULE
PRESENTED TO: MR. JANER

2. ALCOHOL
• ALCOHOL, ALSO KNOWN BY ITS CHEMICAL NAME ETHANOL, IS A PSYCHOACTIVE SUBSTANCE THAT IS
THE ACTIVE INGREDIENT IN DRINKS SUCH AS BEER, WINE, AND DISTILLED SPIRITS (HARD LIQUOR). IT
IS ONE OF THE OLDEST AND MOST COMMON RECREATIONAL SUBSTANCES, CAUSING THE
CHARACTERISTIC EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL INTOXICATION ("DRUNKENNESS"). AMONG OTHER EFFECTS,
ALCOHOL PRODUCES A MOOD LIFT AND EUPHORIA, DECREASED ANXIETY,
INCREASED SOCIABILITY, SEDATION, IMPAIRMENT OF COGNITIVE, MEMORY, MOTOR, AND SENSORY
FUNCTION, AND GENERALIZED DEPRESSION OF CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM FUNCTION. ETHANOL IS A
TYPE OF CHEMICAL COMPOUND KNOWN AS AN ALCOHOL, AND IS THE ONLY TYPE OF ALCOHOL THAT
IS FOUND IN ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES OR IS COMMONLY USED FOR RECREATIONAL PURPOSES; OTHER
ALCOHOLS SUCH AS METHANOL AND ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL ARE TOXIC.

3. HARMFUL USE OF ALCOHOL
• THE HARMFUL USE OF ALCOHOL CAUSES AN ESTIMATED 2.5 MILLION DEATHS EVERY YEAR, OF WHICH A SIGNIFICANT
PROPORTION OCCUR IN THE YOUNG. ALCOHOL USE IS THE THIRD LEADING RISK FACTOR FOR POOR HEALTH
GLOBALLY. A WIDE VARIETY OF ALCOHOL-RELATED PROBLEMS CAN HAVE DEVASTATING IMPACTS ON INDIVIDUALS
AND THEIR FAMILIES AND CAN SERIOUSLY AFFECT COMMUNITY LIFE. THE HARMFUL USE OF ALCOHOL IS ONE OF THE
FOUR MOST COMMON MODIFIABLE AND PREVENTABLE RISK FACTORS FOR MAJOR NONCOMMUNICABLE DISEASES
(NCDS). THERE IS ALSO EMERGING EVIDENCE THAT THE HARMFUL USE OF ALCOHOL CONTRIBUTES TO THE HEALTH
BURDEN CAUSED BY COMMUNICABLE DISEASES SUCH AS, FOR EXAMPLE, TUBERCULOSIS AND HIV/AIDS.
• REDUCING THE HARMFUL USE OF ALCOHOL BY EFFECTIVE POLICY MEASURES AND BY PROVIDING A RELEVANT
INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUCCESSFULLY IMPLEMENT THOSE MEASURES IS MUCH MORE THAN A PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUE.
INDEED, IT IS A DEVELOPMENT ISSUE, SINCE THE LEVEL OF RISK ASSOCIATED WITH THE HARMFUL USE OF ALCOHOL IN
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES IS MUCH HIGHER THAN THAT IN HIGHINCOME COUNTRIES WHERE PEOPLE ARE
INCREASINGLY PROTECTED BY COMPREHENSIVE LAWS AND INTERVENTIONS – AND BY MECHANISMS TO ENSURE
THAT THESE ARE IMPLEMENTED.

4. HARMFUL USE OF ALCOHOL
• GLOBAL STRATEGY TO REDUCE THE HARMFUL USE OF ALCOHOL, ENDORSED BY THE SIXTY-THIRD WORLD HEALTH
ASSEMBLY IN MAY 2010, RECOGNIZES THE CLOSE LINKS BETWEEN THE HARMFUL USE OF ALCOHOL AND
SOCIOECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. IT REPRESENTS THE COMMITMENT BY THE MEMBER STATES OF THE WORLD
HEALTH ORGANIZATION TO SUSTAINED ACTION AT ALL LEVELS. IT ALSO BUILDS ON SEVERAL WHO GLOBAL AND
REGIONAL STRATEGIC INITIATIVES, INCLUDING THE ACTION PLAN FOR THE GLOBAL STRATEGY FOR THE
PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF NONCOMMUNICABLE DISEASES WHICH WAS ENDORSED BY THE WORLD HEALTH
ASSEMBLY IN 2008.

5. THE GLOBAL STRATEGY TO REDUCE THE
HARMFUL USE OF ALCOHOL
THE GLOBAL STRATEGY FOCUSES ON TEN KEY AREAS OF POLICY OPTIONS AND INTERVENTIONS AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL AND FOUR
PRIORITY AREAS FOR GLOBAL ACTION.
THE TEN AREAS FOR NATIONAL ACTION ARE:
• LEADERSHIP, AWARENESS AND COMMITMENT;
• HEALTH SERVICES' RESPONSE;
• COMMUNITY ACTION;
• DRINK-DRIVING POLICIES AND COUNTERMEASURES;
• AVAILABILITY OF ALCOHOL;
• MARKETING OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES;
• PRICING POLICIES;
• REDUCING THE NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES OF DRINKING AND ALCOHOL INTOXICATION;
• REDUCING THE PUBLIC HEALTH IMPACT OF ILLICIT ALCOHOL AND INFORMALLY PRODUCED ALCOHOL;
• MONITORING AND SURVEILLANCE.

6. THE GLOBAL STRATEGY TO REDUCE THE
HARMFUL USE OF ALCOHOL
THE FOUR PRIORITY AREAS FOR GLOBAL ACTION ARE:
• PUBLIC HEALTH ADVOCACY AND PARTNERSHIP;
• TECHNICAL SUPPORT AND CAPACITY BUILDING;
• PRODUCTION AND DISSEMINATION OF KNOWLEDGE;
• RESOURCE MOBILIZATION.

7. THE GLOBAL STRATEGY TO REDUCE THE
HARMFUL USE OF ALCOHOL
• THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE GLOBAL STRATEGY WILL REQUIRE ACTIVE COLLABORATION
WITH MEMBER STATES, WITH APPROPRIATE ENGAGEMENT OF INTERNATIONAL
DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS, CIVIL SOCIETY, THE PRIVATE SECTOR, AS WELL AS PUBLIC HEALTH
AND RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS. WHO AN ITS MEMER STATES ARE DEDICATED TO WORK
TOGEHTER TO ADDRESS THE KEY AREAS OF POLICY OPTIONS AND INTERVENTIONS, TO
INTERACT WITH RELEVANT STAKEHOLDER AND TO ENSURE THAT THE STRATEGY IS
IMPLEMENTED BOTH NATIONALLY AND GLOBALLY. THE PROGRESS OF THE STRATEGY WILL
BE ASSESSED AT THE SIXTY-SIXTH WORLD HEALTH ASSEMBLY IN 2013.

8. EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL
SHORT-TERM EFFECTS
WINE, BEER, DISTILLED SPIRITS AND OTHER ALCOHOLIC DRINKS CONTAIN ETHYL ALCOHOL AND ALCOHOL
CONSUMPTION HAS SHORT-TERM PSYCHOLOGICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS ON THE USER. DIFFERENT
CONCENTRATIONS OF ALCOHOL IN THE HUMAN BODY HAVE DIFFERENT EFFECTS ON A PERSON. THE EFFECTS
OF ALCOHOL DEPEND ON THE AMOUNT AN INDIVIDUAL HAS DRUNK, THE PERCENTAGE OF ALCOHOL IN THE
WINE, BEER OR SPIRITS AND THE TIMESPAN THAT THE CONSUMPTION TOOK PLACE, THE AMOUNT OF FOOD
EATEN AND WHETHER AN INDIVIDUAL HAS TAKEN OTHER PRESCRIPTION, OVER-THE-COUNTER OR STREET
DRUGS, AMONG OTHER FACTORS. ALCOHOL IN CARBONATED DRINKS IS ABSORBED FASTER THAN ALCOHOL IN
NON-CARBONATED DRINKS.

9. EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL
SHORT TERM EFFECTS
DRINKING ENOUGH TO CAUSE A BLOOD ALCOHOL CONCENTRATION (BAC) OF 0.03%-0.12% TYPICALLY CAUSES AN OVERALL
IMPROVEMENT IN MOOD AND POSSIBLE EUPHORIA, INCREASED SELF-CONFIDENCE AND SOCIABILITY, DECREASED ANXIETY, A
FLUSHED, RED APPEARANCE IN THE FACE AND IMPAIRED JUDGMENT AND FINE MUSCLE COORDINATION. A BAC OF 0.09% TO
0.25% CAUSES LETHARGY, SEDATION, BALANCE PROBLEMS AND BLURRED VISION. A BAC FROM 0.18% TO 0.30% CAUSES
PROFOUND CONFUSION, IMPAIRED SPEECH (E.G., SLURRED SPEECH), STAGGERING, DIZZINESS AND VOMITING. A BAC FROM
0.25% TO 0.40% CAUSES STUPOR, UNCONSCIOUSNESS, ANTEROGRADE AMNESIA, VOMITING (DEATH MAY OCCUR DUE TO
INHALATION OF VOMIT (PULMONARY ASPIRATION) WHILE UNCONSCIOUS) AND RESPIRATORY DEPRESSION (POTENTIALLY
LIFE-THREATENING). A BAC FROM 0.35% TO 0.80% CAUSES A COMA (UNCONSCIOUSNESS), LIFE-THREATENING RESPIRATORY
DEPRESSION AND POSSIBLY FATAL ALCOHOL POISONING. AS WITH ALL ALCOHOLIC DRINKS, DRINKING WHILE DRIVING,
OPERATING AN AIRCRAFT OR HEAVY MACHINERY INCREASES THE RISK OF AN ACCIDENT; MANY COUNTRIES HAVE PENALTIES
AGAINST DRUNK DRIVING.

10. EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL
LONG-TERM EFFECTS
THE MAIN ACTIVE INGREDIENT OF WINE, BEER AND DISTILLED SPIRITS IS ALCOHOL. DRINKING SMALL QUANTITIES OF
ALCOHOL (LESS THAN ONE DRINK IN WOMEN AND TWO IN MEN PER DAY) IS ASSOCIATED WITH A DECREASED RISK
OF HEART DISEASE, STROKE, DIABETES MELLITUS, AND EARLY DEATH.[17] DRINKING MORE THAN THIS AMOUNT,
HOWEVER, INCREASES THE RISK OF HEART DISEASE, HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, ATRIAL FIBRILLATION, AND STROKE.[17]
THE RISK IS GREATER IN YOUNGER PEOPLE DUE TO BINGE DRINKING, WHICH MAY RESULT IN VIOLENCE OR
ACCIDENTS.[17] ABOUT 3.3 MILLION DEATHS (5.9% OF ALL GLOBAL DEATHS) ARE BELIEVED TO BE DUE TO ALCOHOL
EACH YEAR.[4] ALCOHOLISM REDUCES A PERSON'S LIFE EXPECTANCY BY AROUND TEN YEARS[18] AND ALCOHOL USE
IS THE THIRD LEADING CAUSE OF EARLY DEATH IN THE UNITED STATES.[17] EVEN MODERATE ALCOHOL
CONSUMPTION INCREASES CANCER RISK IN INDIVIDUALS.[19][20] NO PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL ASSOCIATION
RECOMMENDS THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE NON-DRINKERS SHOULD START DRINKING WINE.[17][21] ANOTHER LONG-
TERM EFFECT OF ALCOHOL USAGE, WHEN ALSO USED WITH TOBACCO PRODUCTS, IS ALCOHOL ACTING AS A
SOLVENT, WHICH ALLOWS HARMFUL CHEMICALS IN TOBACCO TO GET INSIDE THE CELLS THAT LINE THE DIGESTIVE
TRACT. ALCOHOL SLOWS THESE CELLS' HEALING ABILITY TO REPAIR THE DAMAGE TO THEIR DNA CAUSED BY THE
HARMFUL CHEMICALS IN TOBACCO. ALCOHOL CONTRIBUTES TO CANCER THROUGH THIS PROCESS.[22]

11. EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL
LONG TERM EFFECTS
WHILE LOWER QUALITY EVIDENCE SUGGESTS A CARDIOPROTECTIVE EFFECT, NO CONTROLLED STUDIES HAVE BEEN
COMPLETED ON THE EFFECT OF ALCOHOL ON THE RISK OF DEVELOPING HEART DISEASE OR STROKE. EXCESSIVE
CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL CAN CAUSE LIVER CIRRHOSIS AND ALCOHOLISM. THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION
"CAUTIONS PEOPLE NOT TO START DRINKING ... IF THEY DO NOT ALREADY DRINK ALCOHOL. CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR
ON THE BENEFITS AND RISKS OF CONSUMING ALCOHOL IN MODERATION."
ALCOHOLIC DRINKS ARE CLASSIFIED BY THE INTERNATIONAL AGENCY FOR RESEARCH ON CANCER (IARC) AS A
GROUP 1 CARCINOGEN (CARCINOGENIC TO HUMANS). IARC CLASSIFIES ALCOHOLIC DRINK CONSUMPTION AS
A CAUSE OF FEMALE BREAST, COLORECTUM, LARYNX, LIVER, ESOPHAGUS, ORAL CAVITY, AND PHARYNX
CANCERS; AND AS A PROBABLE CAUSE OF PANCREATIC CANCER.

12. GLOBAL STRATEGY TO REDUCE THE HARMFUL
USE OF ALCOHOL
RESOLUTION OF THE SIXTY-THIRD WORLD.
HEALTH ASSEMBLY (MAY 2010). WHA63.13
GLOBAL STRATEGY TO REDUCE THE HARMFUL USE OF ALCOHOL
THE SIXTY-THIRD WORLD HEALTH ASSEMBLY,1
HAVING CONSIDERED THE REPORT ON STRATEGIES TO REDUCE THE HARMFUL USE OF ALCOHOL1 AND THE
DRAFT GLOBAL STRATEGY ANNEXED THEREIN;
RECALLING RESOLUTIONS WHA58.26 ON PUBLIC-HEALTH PROBLEMS CAUSED BY HARMFUL USE OF
ALCOHOL AND WHA61.4 ON STRATEGIES TO REDUCE THE HARMFUL USE OF ALCOHOL;

13. GLOBAL STRATEGY TO REDUCE THE HARMFUL
USE OF ALCOHOL
1. ENDORSES THE GLOBAL STRATEGY TO REDUCE THE HARMFUL USE OF ALCOHOL;
2. AFFIRMS THAT THE GLOBAL STRATEGY TO REDUCE THE HARMFUL USE OF ALCOHOL AIMS TO
GIVE GUIDANCE FOR ACTION AT ALL LEVELS AND TO SET PRIORITY AREAS FOR GLOBAL ACTION, AND
THAT IT IS A PORTFOLIO OF POLICY OPTIONS AND MEASURES THAT COULD BE CONSIDERED FOR
IMPLEMENTATION AND ADJUSTED AS APPROPRIATE AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT
NATIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES, SUCH AS RELIGIOUS AND CULTURAL CONTEXTS, NATIONAL PUBLIC HEALTH
PRIORITIES, AS WELL AS RESOURCES, CAPACITIES AND CAPABILITIES;

14. GLOBAL STRATEGY TO REDUCE THE HARMFUL
USE OF ALCOHOL
3. URGES MEMBER STATES:2
• (1) TO ADOPT AND IMPLEMENT THE GLOBAL STRATEGY TO REDUCE THE HARMFUL USE OF ALCOHOL
AS APPROPRIATE IN ORDER TO COMPLEMENT AND SUPPORT PUBLIC HEALTH POLICIES IN
MEMBER STATES TO REDUCE THE HARMFUL USE OF ALCOHOL, AND TO MOBILIZE POLITICAL
WILL AND FINANCIAL RESOURCES FOR THAT PURPOSE;
• (2) TO CONTINUE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE RESOLUTIONS WHA61.4 ON THE STRATEGIES TO
REDUCE THE HARMFUL USE OF ALCOHOL AND WHA58.26 ON PUBLIC-HEALTH PROBLEMS
CAUSED BY HARMFUL USE OF ALCOHOL;
• (3) TO ENSURE THAT IMPLEMENTATION OF THE GLOBAL STRATEGY TO REDUCE THE HARMFUL USE
OF ALCOHOL STRENGTHENS THE NATIONAL EFFORTS TO PROTECT AT-RISK POPULATIONS, YOUNG
PEOPLE AND THOSE AFFECTED BY HARMFUL DRINKING OF OTHERS;
• (4) TO ENSURE THAT IMPLEMENTATION OF THE GLOBAL STRATEGY TO REDUCE THE HARMFUL USE
OF ALCOHOL IS REFLECTED IN THE NATIONAL MONITORING SYSTEMS AND REPORTED REGULARLY
TO WHO’S INFORMATION SYSTEM ON ALCOHOL AND HEALTH;

15. GLOBAL STRATEGY TO REDUCE THE HARMFUL
USE OF ALCOHOL
4. REQUESTS THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL:
• (1) TO GIVE SUFFICIENTLY HIGH ORGANIZATIONAL PRIORITY, AND TO ASSURE ADEQUATE FINANCIAL
AND HUMAN RESOURCES AT ALL LEVELS, TO THE PREVENTION AND REDUCTION OF HARMFUL
USE OF ALCOHOL AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE GLOBAL STRATEGY TO REDUCE THE HARMFUL
USE OF ALCOHOL;
• (2) TO COLLABORATE WITH AND PROVIDE SUPPORT TO MEMBER STATES, AS APPROPRIATE, IN
IMPLEMENTING THE GLOBAL STRATEGY TO REDUCE THE HARMFUL USE OF ALCOHOL AND
STRENGTHENING NATIONAL RESPONSES TO PUBLIC HEALTH PROBLEMS CAUSED BY THE HARMFUL
USE OF ALCOHOL;
• (3) TO MONITOR PROGRESS IN IMPLEMENTING THE GLOBAL STRATEGY TO REDUCE THE HARMFUL
USE OF ALCOHOL AND TO REPORT PROGRESS, THROUGH THE EXECUTIVE BOARD, TO THE SIXTYSIXTH
WORLD HEALTH ASSEMBLY.