Alcohol is a psychoactive substance with toxic and dependence-producing properties. Although alcohol consumption varies considerably around the world, the health burden caused by alcohol globally is enormous. The harmful use of alcohol is among the leading risk factors for disease burden in populations worldwide. Given the magnitude and the complexity of the problem, concerted global and regional efforts must be in place to support countries and communities in the challenges they face to reduce the harmful use of alcohol. International coordination and collaboration can create the synergies that are needed and can provide increased leverage for Member States to implement evidence-based measures. 

The Global strategy to reduce the harmful use of alcohol (hereafter referred to as the “Global strategy”), negotiated and agreed by the World Health Organization (WHO) Member States in 2010 (Resolution WHA63.13), represents international consensus that reducing the harmful use of alcohol and its associated health and social burden is a public health priority. In the context of this strategy, the concept of the harmful use of alcohol is broad and encompasses the drinking that causes detrimental health and social consequences for the drinker, the people around the drinker and society at large, as well as the patterns of drinking that are associated with increased risk of adverse health outcomes. The consensus reached on the Global strategy and its endorsement by the WHA was the outcome of a close collaboration between WHO Member States and the WHO Secretariat.