Monday, December 22, 2025

From Individual Blame to Population Health: A Historical View on Alcohol Harm

Presentation Overview

Key Themes of the Presentation

  • Alcohol consumption is deeply embedded in many cultures and social practices worldwide.

  • From a public health standpoint, alcohol is a major yet underestimated contributor to disease, injury, and social harm.

  • Early responses to alcohol-related harm focused mainly on identifying and treating “problem drinkers” or alcohol dependence.

  • This narrow approach overlooked the fact that:

    • Many alcohol-related accidents involve non-dependent drinkers.

    • Violence and injuries are not limited to people with alcohol addiction.

    • Alcohol-related cancers often occur among social or moderate drinkers.

  • Alcohol-related harm affects the entire population, not only high-risk individuals.

Policy Challenges and Industry Influence

  • Public and political awareness of alcohol-related harm has historically been limited.

  • There has been a lack of strong commitment to address alcohol as a public health priority.

  • The alcohol industry and allied stakeholders have:

    • Promoted individual responsibility narratives.

    • Shifted attention away from alcohol as a harmful product.

    • Actively opposed effective population-level policies.

Evidence-Based Measures to Reduce Harm

  • The most effective interventions include:

    • Increasing taxes on alcoholic beverages.

    • Restricting physical availability of alcohol.

    • Limiting alcohol advertising and marketing.

  • Despite strong evidence, these measures have faced resistance from:

    • Industry lobbying.

    • Limited public support and awareness.

A Changing Global Landscape

  • Growing research evidence has strengthened the case for public health–oriented alcohol policies.

  • Non-governmental organizations have played a key role in advocacy and awareness.

  • Governments at local, national, and international levels are increasingly:

    • Acknowledging alcohol’s impact on health and social welfare.

    • Implementing regulatory and preventive strategies.

  • Health systems are positioned as critical drivers of prevention, policy advocacy, and long-term change.

About the Speaker

  • Honorary public health consultant at the European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research, Vienna.

  • Chair, Alcohol Policy Network for Europe (APN).

  • Former senior official at the World Health Organization**, UNESCO, and Dutch national mental health and addiction institutes.

  • Served as:

    • Programme Manager for alcohol, drugs, and tobacco at WHO.

    • Acting Director for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention.

    • Founder and leader of the WHO Health in Prisons Project.

Conference Details

Useful Links

#AlcoholPolicy #HarmfulUseOfAlcohol #AlcoholRelatedHarm #PublicHealthApproach #PopulationHealth #AddictionMedicine #MentalHealthAwareness #SubstanceUseDisorders
#AddictionResearch #BehavioralHealth
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