Alcohol harm erodes economic growth and drains societies’ resources. Alcohol harm costs each country 2.6% of GDP on average each year.
Recently the Copenhagen Consensus Center showed that alcohol policy in general and alcohol taxation in particular rank as the second and third most effective policies to reach the SDGs. For every dollar invested in alcohol policy, a country could receive 76 dollars worth social, health, and economic benefits.
We call on WHO and member states to make full use of alcohol policy solutions to advance economics and health for all.
People worldwide remain deeply concerned that WHO is partnering with FIFA and the IOC while they make football and the Olympics into platforms for alcohol companies to promote alcohol – causing serious harms to millions of children.
To promote health instead of health-harming industry profits, sports events should be free from alcohol marketing.