Raising awareness of the link between alcohol and cancer

The WHO European Region has the highest level of alcohol consumption in the world. However, the level of awareness of the link between alcohol consumption and increased risk of cancer remains low. World Cancer Day on 4 February 2018 is an opportunity to reinforce the important message that alcohol use is associated with an increased risk of cancer, and to call for the implementation of effective measures to reduce the overall use of alcohol.

Effective measures and policies needed

Effective measures and policies exist to reduce harms from alcohol and improve population health. The European Action Plan to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol 2012–2020 outlines a range of evidence-based policy options.

Three of the most cost-effective policy areas (the “best-buys”) are:

• increasing price via taxation
• restricting access to retail alcohol
• imposing a ban on alcohol advertising.