Declaration on Young People and Alcohol

The European Charter on Alcohol, adopted by Member States in 1995, sets out the guiding principles and goals for promoting and protecting the health and wellbeing of all people in the Region. This Declaration aims to protect children and young people from the pressures to drink and reduce the harm done to them directly or indirectly by alcohol. (Updated 28 October 2004)

The Declaration on Young People and Alcohol reaffirms the five principles of the European Charter on Alcohol:

1. All people have the right to a family, community and working life protected from accidents, violence and other negative consequences of alcohol consumption.
2. All people have the right to valid impartial information and education, starting early in life, on the consequences of alcohol consumption on health, the family and society.
3. All children and adolescents have the right to grow up in an environment protected from the negative consequences of alcohol consumption and, to the extent possible, from the promotion of alcoholic beverages.
4. All people with hazardous or harmful alcohol consumption and members of their families have the right to accessible treatment and care.
5. All people who do not wish to consume alcohol, or who cannot do so for health or other reasons, have the right to be safeguarded from pressures to drink and be supported in their non-drinking behaviour.

The Declaration set the following targets that it recommended should be achieved in Member States by 2006:

• reduce substantially the number of young people who start consuming alcohol
• delay the onset of drinking by young people
• reduce substantially the occurrence and frequency of high-risk drinking among young people, especially adolescents and young adults
• provide and/or expand meaningful alternatives to alcohol and drug use and increase education and training for those who work with young people
• increase young people’s involvement in youth health-related policies, especially alcohol-related issues
• increase education for young people on alcohol
• minimise the pressures on young people to drink, especially in relation to alcohol promotions, free distributions, advertising, sponsorship and availability, with particular emphasis on special events
• support actions against the illegal sale of alcohol
• ensure and/or increase access to health and counselling services, especially for young people with alcohol problems and/or alcohol-dependent parents or family members
• reduce substantially alcohol-related harm, especially accidents, assaults and violence, and particularly as experiences by young people

4 broad areas of effective alcohol policy measures:

1. Provide protection: Strengthen measures to protect children and adolescents from exposure to alcohol promotion and sponsorship. Ensure that manufacturers do not target alcohol products at children and adolescents. Control alcohol availability by addressing access, minimum age and economic measures, including pricing, which influence under-age drinking. Provide protection and support for children and adolescents whose parents and family members are alcohol-dependent or who have alcohol-related problems.
2. Promote education: Raise awareness of the effects of alcohol, in particular among young people. Develop health promotion programmes that include alcohol issues in settings such as educational institutions, workplaces, youth organisations and local communities. These programmes should enable parents, teachers, peers and youth leaders to help young people learn and practice life skills and address the issues of social pressure and risk management. Furthermore, young people should be empowered to take responsibilities as important members of society.
3. Support environments: Create opportunities where alternatives to the drink culture are encouraged and favoured. Develop and encourage the role of the family in promoting the health and wellbeing of young people. Ensure that schools and, where possible, other educational institutions are alcohol-free environments.
4. Reduce harm: Promote a greater understanding of the negative consequences of drinking for the individual, the family and society. Within the drinking environment, ensure training for those responsible for the serving of alcohol to minors and intoxicated persons. Enforce drink-driving regulations and penalties. Provide appropriate health and social services for young people who experience problems as a result of other people’s or their own drinking.

4 key areas:

1. Build political commitment by developing comprehensive countrywide plans and strategies with young people, with targets to reduce drinking and related harm, particularly in the different segments of the youth population, and evaluate (with young people) progress towards them.
2. Develop partnerships with young people especially, through appropriate local networks. Look to young people as a resource and promote opportunities for young people to participate in shaping the decisions that affect their lives. Special emphasis should be placed on reducing inequalities, particularly health.
3. Develop a comprehensive approach to addressing the social and health problems experienced by young people in connection with alcohol, tobacco, drugs and other related issues. Promote an intersectoral approach at national and local level, to ensure a sustainable and more effective policy. When promoting the health and wellbeing of young people, take into consideration their varying social and cultural backgrounds, and particularly those of groups with special needs.
4. Strengthen international co-operation among Member States. Many of the policy measures need to be reinforced at the international level, if they are to be fully effective. WHO will provide leadership by establishing appropriate partnerships and utilizing its collaborative networks across the European Region. In this regard, cooperation with the European Commission is of particular relevance.