The harmful use of alcohol causes approximately 3 million deaths every year and the overall burden of disease and injuries attributable to alcohol consumption remains unacceptably high. The pace of development and implementation of alcohol policies has been uneven in WHO regions, and resources and capacities for implementation of the WHO Global strategy to reduce the harmful use of alcohol 10 years after its endorsement do not correspond to the magnitude of the problems. On this basis, the WHO Executive Board in its decision EB146 (14) called for accelerated action to reduce the harmful use of alcohol. 

The Board, in its decision EB146 (14),  requested  the WHO Director-General, inter alia, “to develop an action plan (2022-2030) to effectively implement the Global strategy to reduce the harmful use of alcohol as a public health priority, in consultation with Member States and relevant stakeholders, for consideration by the 75th World Health Assembly through the 150th session of the WHO Executive Board in 2022”, and “to develop a technical report on the harmful use of alcohol related to cross-border alcohol marketing, advertising and promotional activities, including targeting youth and adolescents, before the 150th session of the WHO Executive Board, which could contribute to the development of the action plan”,  as well as “to adequately resource the work on the harmful use of alcohol.

To this end, and in line with the timeline for producing the action plan, the WHO Secretariat will host a web-based consultation on a the first draft of the Global alcohol action plan 2022-2030. WHO Member States, governmental and intergovernmental organizations and non-State actors are invited to submit their comments through this dedicated web page only. The consultation is not open to individuals. The consultation will be running from: 15:00 CET 26 July to 23:59 CET 3 September 2021.