WHO’s new "Saving Lives, Spending Less" report shows that scaling up cost-effective NCD “Best Buys” could save 12 million lives, prevent 28 million heart attacks and strokes, and generate over US$1 trillion in economic benefits by 2030. Alcohol policy stands out, with taxation, advertising bans, and common sense limits on availability delivering the second-highest return on investment among all interventions — nine dollars for every dollar invested. As such, the new WHO investment cas...| Movendi International
The final UN Political Declaration on NCDs and Mental Health fails to deliver a meaningful response to alcohol harm, despite some modest gains. Movendi International’s in-depth analysis reveals how alcohol industry interference attacked the most meaningful elements of the draft text, resulting in six major missed opportunities in the final declaration - from deleted targets and omitted SAFER measures to vague language and a lack of accountability. This politically compromised outcome underm...| Movendi International
The final UN Political Declaration on NCDs and Mental Health includes all three alcohol policy Best Buys, highlights alcohol taxation, and acknowledges the commercial determinants of health and conflicts of interest. But it fails to deliver a fast-tracked alcohol policy response commensurate with the scale of alcohol harm. The declaration omits concrete targets, screening and brief interventions, the SAFER alcohol policy blueprint, and explicit recognition of alcohol industry interference. Mo...| Movendi International
The Colombian government has unveiled a landmark tax reform that raises alcohol taxes as part of efforts to fund the 2026 budget and improve public health. The reform comes amid urgent health concerns: alcohol causes nearly 10,000 deaths annually in Colombia, is the top risk factor for death among 15- to 49-year-olds, and contributes to violence, self-harm, and traffic crashes. Civil society and community voices say this reform marks a turning point, ensuring the alcohol industry pays its fai...| Movendi International
Belgium is opposing a proposed EU regulation that would allow wines with up to 6% alcohol by volume to be labeled as “low-alcohol,” arguing that the term is misleading and could undermine public health. Belgian health authorities insist that such labeling breaks with established food law practices, risks giving consumers a false sense of safety, and should be replaced with the more accurate term “reduced alcohol content.” The final decision now rests with the European Parliament, wher...| Movendi International
The latest draft of the UN Political Declaration (Revision 3) brings back two references to alcohol policy best buys—barely avoiding complete meaninglessness. Yet the draft still falls short of previous global commitments to accelerate action, ignores WHO guidance, sidesteps the scientific evidence, and fails to match the scale of the alcohol burden.| Movendi International
Alcohol industry language, no alcohol policy action: UN Political Declaration on NCDs and Mental Health risks becoming meaningless. Alcohol industry interference in the drafting of the political declaration of the fourth high-level meeting on NCDs and mental health has quietly erased proven, cost-effective alcohol policy measures - despite alcohol being the leading risk factor for death and disease among young people worldwide. While tobacco is treated with specificity and urgency, alcohol po...| Movendi International
