Alcohol Policy
Alcohol contributes to 2.6 million deaths each year around the world, driving disability and violence, burdening health systems and costing governments billions. Vital Strategies works to reset the alcohol environment globally because alcohol products are too affordable, too accessible and relentlessly marketed.
We’re making alcohol’s harms visible and known. Some 88% of people in the countries where our RESET program is active agree that alcohol is a problem.
Our campaigns have reached more than 100 million people to create momentum toward change.
Our work in Brazil is building momentum around an alcohol tax that could save as many as 10,000 lives a year.
Why It Matters
Alcohol is the leading global risk factor for death among people aged 15 to 49 and contributes to 2.6 million deaths a year. Alcohol consumption is linked to cancer, liver disease, violence, injuries and road traffic crashes, among others. Our alcohol policy program is among the first of its kind, generating momentum around an issue that has long been overlooked, despite its significant public health impact. Cost-effective, high-impact and evidence-based alcohol policies save lives and reduce harms.
How We Work
Proven population-level policies can reduce the health, social and economic burden of alcohol. Along with our partners, we support governments to implement global best practices to build a healthier future.
Vital Strategies works with governments, civil society organizations, researchers and public health leaders to implement three alcohol best-buy policies from the World Health Organization’s SAFER technical package to reduce alcohol-related harm: increasing taxation, regulating availability and restricting marketing. These policies are the most impactful — and cost-effective — way to reduce alcohol consumption.
Our approach combines five key areas for effective public health policy change: advocacy, economic and epidemiological research, legal analysis, policy monitoring and strategic communication. Experience has taught us that one stakeholder rarely drives policy change. Instead, different actors contribute distinct forms of expertise, legitimacy, influence and implementation capacity that together increase the likelihood a policy will be adopted, defended and successfully implemented. Vital Strategies enables collaboration among our in-country partners to generate timely research evidence, engage policymakers, shift the narrative around alcohol and build public support for alcohol policy.
Areas of Focus
We focus on the policies and strategies proven to reduce alcohol consumption and protect public health. Evidence has shown that these areas provide the greatest potential for population-level impact.
RESET Alcohol
Led by Vital Strategies, the RESET Alcohol initiative has created alcohol-policy resources, including communication campaign overviews, case studies, technical guidelines on alcohol taxation and other publications.
Alcohol Policy Resources
Vital Strategies and partners have created alcohol policy resources, including communication campaign overviews, case studies, technical guidelines on alcohol taxation and other publications.
