SAFER is a World Health Organization (WHO)-led initiative to reduce death, disease and injuries caused by the harmful use of alcohol using high-impact, evidence-based, cost-effective interventions. More than 3 million people die every year - one person every 10 seconds - from an alcohol-related cause. The harmful use of alcohol is a major obstacle to sustainable development and adversely affects the health and well-being of alcohol users, their families, colleagues and communities. Alcohol consumption causes death and disability relatively early in life, reducing the economic capacities of societies: 13.5% of all deaths among youth who are 20 to 29 years of age are attributed to alcohol.
Implementing SAFER will:
- Save 100,000 lives by 2030;
- Provide more than USD 9 in return for every USD 1 invested;
- Protect billions of people from the socioeconomic impact of harmful alcohol use; and
- Contribute to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)
SAFER provides five high-impact strategic actions that are prioritized for implementation to promote health and development:
- Strengthen restrictions on alcohol availability
- Advance and enforce drink driving counter measures
- Facilitate access to screening, brief interventions and treatment
- Enforce bans or comprehensive restrictions on alcohol advertising, sponsorship, and promotion
- Raise prices on alcohol through excise taxes and pricing policies
Access these documents within the links section of this resource.
