There is no safe level of alcohol use. Nearly three million deaths globally were attributed to alcohol use in 2016. Increasing alcohol use may result in increasing health problems in the future in low and middle income countries.

In the end of November civil society leaders, researchers and government representatives will meet for Uganda’s first national alcohol policy conference. Topic: “Unite against alcohol harm: A call for action”.

Regulations on alcohol advertising must to a larger extent focus on exposures in social media, as these media play an increasingly larger role, both in marketing strategies and in young peoples’ lives. This challenge comes from a newly published report in the UK.

Anecdotal evidence from many developing countries suggests that age limits for sale/purchase of alcohol are not enforced. A more systematic test confirmed this in the case of Accra, Ghana: Under-aged were allowed to buy alcohol in 88 per cent of the cases.

All evidence points to the same unpleasant reality: that if the current pace of progress continues unabated, by 2030 the agreed Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target to reduce NCD mortality will remain a distant reality. This is the opinion of more than 190 CSOs that have sent a statement to WHO.

Heineken uses so-called beer girls to promote the sales of its beer in ten African countries. A number of them are harassed during their work, have to sleep with managers and prostitute themselves to customers. This is documented in a newly published book by the Dutch journalist Olivier van Beemen.