The WHO European Region has the highest proportion of total ill health and premature death caused by alcohol in the world. The effectiveness of alcohol policies in reducing this harm has been evaluated mainly in North America and northern Europe, but the general principles are applicable across societies and countries.

The evidence summarized in this publication can therefore be applied by policy-makers in every country in the Region to tackle alcohol-related harm. It reviews what is known and not known about the health, social and economic impact of alcohol, education and information campaigns, public support for alcohol policies, supportive infrastructures, the health sector response, community action, workplace policies, drink–driving policies, the availability, marketing and pricing of alcohol, and drinking environments, and the policy implications of this evidence.