Tell family and friends that you want to be healthier. Eat before and between drinks. Given the high prevalence of harmful alcohol use and its adverse health consequences, developing a more comprehensive understanding of these issues is a public health priority. Health services are critical to addressing harm at the individual level among people with alcohol use disorders and other health conditions caused by the harmful use of alcohol.
This policy statement provides a comprehensive review of the evidence that documents the health and economic burdens of alcohol and a guide for public health professionals and communities on the most effective interventions at the population level to prevent excessive drinking and related harms. Public health improves quality of life, extends life expectancy, reduces human suffering and saves resources in the long term. The health service response must be sufficiently reinforced and funded so that it is commensurate with the magnitude of the public health problems caused by the harmful use of alcohol.
