A number of interventions by Member States of the World Health Organization emphasized the need to address alcohol in the recent debate about non-communicable diseases (NCDs) at the World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva in May.

Drug Policy Futures, a global NGO network of more than 300 affiliates, urges UN member states on to focus on ten action areas for better drug policies. These steps, if well-implemented, will greatly improve national drug policies and yield to a substantial reduction in drug-related harms.

The Nepalese Government passed a “National Policy on Regulation and Control of Alcohol-2017” on Monday, imposing a total ban on alcohol advertisement, promotion and sponsorship.

The new manual shows how NGOs and local activists can monitor commercial alcohol promotions in their respective environments. The methodology was developed by the MAMPA project and the new manual is published by FORUT.

Leading public health experts warn that youth around the world are exposed to extensive alcohol marketing. Current controls on that marketing appear ineffective in blocking the association between youth exposure and subsequent drinking. This is documented in a Supplement of the prestigious scientific journal Addiction.

More than a fourth of all monitored alcohol advertisements violated the industry’s own marketing codes, concludes a study covering seven African countries. Stronger government regulation of alcohol marketing is needed.