Global Alcohol Policy Conference “From Global Strategy to National and Local Action” Nonthaburi, Thailand, 13 – 15 February 2012

DECLARATION

PREAMBLE

We, the participants of the first Global Alcohol Policy Conference "From Global Strategy to National and Local Action", gathered in Nonthaburi, Thailand, on 13-15 February 2012,

Reaffirm that the WHO Global Strategy to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol endorsed by the World Health Assembly in May 2010 is the main policy framework in setting forth principles and priority areas for action at global level and providing a portfolio of policy options and measures that could be considered for implementation at national and local levels, in accordance with World Health Assembly resolution 63.13;

Recall that in the Political Declaration of the High-level Meeting of the United Nations General Assembly on the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases, Heads of State and Government committed to advance the implementation of multisectoral interventions by, inter alia, promoting the implementation of the WHO Global Strategy to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol, while recognizing the need to develop appropriate domestic action plans, in consultation with relevant stakeholders, including taking into account the full range of options as identified in the Global Strategy, as well as raise awareness of the problems caused by the harmful use of alcohol, particularly among young people, in accordance with General Assembly resolution 66/2;

Express good will and strong commitment to support the implementation of the Global Strategy to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol at all levels;

Recognize that the Global Strategy provides the opportunity for sustained action in implementation of effective and evidence-based strategies to reduce the alcohol-related health and social burden throughout the world;

Note that the Conference has mobilised representatives of governmental sectors, non-governmental organisations, researchers and community leaders from all over the world to promote and support action to fulfil the Global Strategy’s vision of improved health and social outcomes for individuals, families, communities and societies at large by reducing the harmful use of alcohol.

RATIONALE FOR ACTION

Globally, alcohol consumption is the third leading risk factor for death and disability. It is estimated that in 2004, the harmful use of alcohol, as defined in the WHO Global Strategy, accounted for 2.3 million deaths (about 3.8% of all deaths in the world). Equally important, an estimated 4.5% of the global burden of disease - as measured in disability adjusted life years (DALYs) lost - is caused by the harmful use of alcohol. Harmful use of alcohol is also the leading risk factor for both death and disability for young people between 15 and 29 years of age.

More than half of deaths due to the harmful use of alcohol occur from noncommunicable diseases, including cancers, cardiovascular diseases, liver cirrhosis and alcohol dependence. The Political Declaration of the High-level Meeting of the UN General Assembly on the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases recognizes the critical importance of reducing the harmful use of alcohol as part of the global response to noncommunicable diseases.

A significant public health burden is caused by alcohol-related injuries, including those resulting from road traffic accidents and domestic violence. In addition, the role of harmful use of alcohol in infectious diseases such as HIV and TB has, in recent years, become increasingly recognised. There is a growing world wide concern and urgent need for action regarding the increasing culture of drinking and heavy episodic drinking among young people and women of childbearing age.

Alcohol is a psychoactive substance with a potential for abuse comparable to that of other dependenceproducing substances under international control, and its consumption may lead to a range of negative health effects, including life-threatening intoxication, teratogenic effects and alcohol dependence. Alcohol is increasingly recognized as a commodity that requires appropriate consideration by parties in international, regional and bilateral trade negotiations to account for public health concerns.

Harmful use of alcohol leads to increased burden on individuals, families and communities, including impoverishment of women and men from treatment and care costs, loss of productivity and household income, loss of decent work and employment, thus making the harmful use of alcohol a contributing factor to poverty and hunger, which may have a direct impact on the achievement of the internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals.

Evidence-based and cost-effective interventions exist to reduce the harmful use of alcohol at global, national and local levels. These interventions, when implemented and enforced, could have profound health, social and economic benefits throughout the world. Examples of cost-effective interventions to reduce the harmful use of alcohol, which are affordable in low-income countries, include measures to raise taxes on alcohol, restrict access to retailed alcohol, and enforce bans and restrictions on alcohol advertising and marketing. These "best buys" have significant public health impact, and are highly cost-effective, inexpensive and feasible to implement.

Particular attention should be paid to pricing policies and the potential to increase taxation on alcohol: these reduce consumption, prevent ill-health and increase the resources governments can specifically designate for health and prevention and treatment of alcohol use disorders.

CALL TO ACTION

We, therefore, call on intergovernmental agencies, NGO networks, national and local governments, academia, civil society, professional organizations, communities, and individuals, at all levels to take action by:

At the national and local level:

1. Supporting, strengthening and integrating into the national development agenda the evidence-based interventions outlined in the Global Strategy, and especially the cost-effective interventions mentioned above, in order to make our communities safer and individuals healthier, and to protect those at risk from harmful use of alcohol by others.

2. Increasing, prioritizing and supporting budgetary allocations for reducing the harmful use of alcohol at the national level, according to national priorities and taking into account domestic circumstances and the reduction of social disparities, and exploring the provision of adequate, predictable and sustained financial resources for preventing and reducing the harmful use of alcohol and associated public health problems through domestic innovative financing mechanisms, including raising excise taxes or establishing an additional surcharge on alcoholic beverages and allocating a portion of the proceeds to program activities to reduce harmful use of alcohol, and to the prevention and treatment of alcohol use disorders.

3. Strengthening efforts of civil society groups and organizations in reducing the harmful use of alcohol and implementation of the Global Strategy at the national and local level. Civil society organisations that are independent from the alcoholic beverage industry and free from conflict of interest have an important role to play in engaging with governments and advocating for effective alcohol control policies.

4. Establishing and strengthening country-level surveillance and monitoring systems using indicators, definitions and data-collection procedures compatible with WHO information systems on alcohol and health, including periodic national surveys that are integrated into existing national health information systems and include measures of alcohol consumption and alcohol-related harm, recognizing that such systems are critical for advocacy, policy development and evaluation purposes. Results of monitoring and evaluation should be made available to the general public in order to sustain and advance public health agendas on reducing harmful use of alcohol at national and local levels.

At the international level:

5. Exploring the provision of adequate, predictable and sustained resources for implementation of the WHO Global Strategy to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol at the global level through bilateral and multilateral channels, including traditional and voluntary innovative financing mechanisms.

6. Supporting collaboration of WHO, as the lead United Nations specialized agency for health, with countries in scaling up implementation of the Global Strategy at all levels and strengthening national efforts to reduce the harmful use of alcohol as well as in assessing and monitoring progress made.

7. Developing effective global governance for reducing the harmful use of alcohol in the context of implementation of the Global Strategy at all levels taking into consideration current experience in addressing other risk factors for noncommunicable diseases including tobacco use, unhealthy diet and lack of physical activity.

8. Mobilizing global social movements and support of civil society groups and organizations bringing together alcohol policy activists, youth and youth related agencies, professionals, scientists, consumers and others for joint advocacy activities in support of effective alcohol control policies and implementation of the Global Strategy to reduce the harmful use of alcohol.

9. Calling upon the Global Alcohol Policy Alliance (GAPA) and its regional affiliates, as well as other relevant international associations and organizations to strengthen the networking, information sharing and collaboration among civil society and professional organizations for reducing the harmful use of alcohol in line with the aims, objectives and the guiding principles of the Global Strategy.

10. Acknowledging the contribution of international cooperation and assistance in reducing the harmful use of alcohol and, in this regard, encouraging the inclusion of the goal of reducing harmful use of alcohol in development cooperation agendas and initiatives, including initiatives to fight poverty, build democratic societies, halt and reverse the spread of HIV and TB, empower women, reduce crime and violence, grow national capacities, address noncommunicable diseases, and improve road safety.

11. Including prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases and their risk factors, including the harmful use of alcohol, in discussions of the substantive process that will lead to the definition of a United Nations development agenda post-2015.