It is to Ireland’s credit that there has been significant effort to tackle multiple issues around alcohol and illegal drug use. It contrasts well with other jurisdictions such as the UK which does not currently have an alcohol strategy in place and indeed has seen an increase in alcohol consumption while there has been a decrease in Ireland. However, there progress is stalling and there is still a long way to go in comparison to other countries such as Norway which drinks around 40% less than Ireland per capita.

There is a need for a dedicated strategy for alcohol which encompasses both prevention measures and services for those impacted by alcohol harm. At present these elements are spread across a number of policy units both within the Department of Health and other government departments.

The Drugs Policy Unit (DPU) has responsibility for illegal drugs and this includes actions on prevention and treatment services. Alcohol treatment services are currently within the remit of the DPU’s strategy, Reducing Harm Supporting Recovery 2017-2025 which is now coming to an end. Primary prevention, though, for alcohol, mostly falls under the remit of the Chief Medical Officer and the legislative work of the Tobacco and Alcohol Unit along with the Healthy Ireland Framework which envisages health considerations in all government policies, and which highlights the multiple issues around alcohol. This Framework is also coming to an end in 2025.

This provides a useful opportunity to consider the policy development structures needed to comprehensively address alcohol which is Ireland’s largest drug problem. Alcohol, like tobacco, is legal and its harms include addiction, but these harms extend far beyond this particular serious issue. Alcohol consumption is found to play a causal role in more than 200 diseases, injuries and other health conditions1 and there are also significant impacts on areas such as harm to others, crime and loss of workplace productivity. Alcohol costs Ireland at least 2.5% of GDP - €12 billion annually and it is likely that alcohol harm costs are twice those of tobacco.2