Oral

This session looks at international alcohol control efforts. While solid scientific evidence on the harmful effects of alcohol use exists, the adoption and implementation of effective policies to address this public health issue lag behind both at the global and national levels. Since the World Health Organization released the Global Alcohol Strategy in 2010, there has been enhanced attention to alcohol problems and solutions at the international level. The Canadian Public Health Association approved an outline of the goals, process, outcomes, and next steps of a position statement on alcohol policy. A new alcohol action plan to reduce the harmful use of alcohol 2012 – 2020 was adopted by all 53 European Member States and is a guiding tool to implement new policies at the national level.

Session Objectives: 1. Describe developments internationally since the adoption of the WHO global strategy. 2. Assess progress in alcohol control regionally in Europe and nationally in Canada. 3. Compare alcohol control with that of the tobacco movement globally and identify why alcohol advocacy is weaker in many nations.

CE Credits: Medical (CME), Health Education (CHES), Nursing (CNE), Public Health (CPH)