“At the 8th Global Alcohol Policy Conference in Brazil, PAHO Highlights Equity and Strategic Actions to Reduce Alcohol Use”
PAHO reports:
“The 8th Global Alcohol Policy Conference discussed the commercial determinants of alcohol harm and the responses of governments and civil society. PAHO participated in the dialogues addressing topics such as the importance of equity in the implementation of effective policies, increasing taxes on alcoholic beverages, limiting advertising – especially in digital environments – controlling availability, and advancing warning labeling.
“The SAFER strategies include strengthening limitations on alcohol availability; advancing and enforcing drink-driving countermeasures; expanding access to screening, brief interventions, and treatment; implementing comprehensive bans or limitations on alcohol advertising, sponsorship, and promotion; and raising alcohol prices through taxes and pricing policies.”
Assessment
The 8th Global Alcohol Policy Conference, held 7–10 April in Rio de Janeiro, brought together researchers, policymakers, and civil society from across the world under the theme of commercial determinants of alcohol harm. The conference was co-hosted by GAPA, ACT Brazil, Vital Strategies, Abead, and Brazil’s Ministry of Health and Ministry of Justice, reflecting the country’s relevance as a venue where major alcohol policy battles are currently playing out.
PAHO’s intervention is notable for its comprehensive scope, explicitly naming all five components of the WHO’s SAFER initiative and highlighting the digital environment as a frontier for advertising bans.
For alcohol policy advocates, the framing around equity is particularly important: it elevates the case that alcohol harm disproportionately affects lower-income populations and that effective alcohol policy needs to address these disparities.