A Comparative Review on National Alcohol Prevention Policies in Different Selected Countries

Alcohol, with its impact on both communicable and non-communicable diseases, is considered as the third global public health priority. Alcohol ranked third among causes of ill health and premature death, and ranked second in terms of cost among all the substances of abuse, after tobacco, even though nearly half the world’s population drinks alcohol. In most countries, where alcohol is considered as legal; governments facing the dilemma of dealing with alcohol, as they play the roles of the regulator, the wholesaler, and the retailer. In these countries, a broad unity of purpose and action has been emerged within the alcohol problems perspective, against diverse cultural, social and economic situations and experiences with alcohol at national level. The scientific basis for that perspective enrooted in a sustained global research effort. Many common features of these policies include monitoring of public health and safety impacts of policies, increased prevention programming (with a focus on children and youth and on modifying risky drinking behaviors), rigorous monitoring and enforcement of laws, enhancement of the addiction treatment and rehabilitation system, evaluation of prevention policies and programs and involvement of public health experts in the planning of future changes to alcohol policy. Many success stories has raised in reducing the alcohol problem in different countries, however, many challenges still exist. In this presentation policies of different countries on alcohol problem prevention were reviewed to provide a wealth of evidences to address the issues that policy makers are facing in terms of alcohol prevention program in Iran.