The ongoing European Football Championship provides an opportunity to reflect on an often underrepresented health issue, alcohol consumption. In addition to all the joy such events bring along, they also often serve as a setting for excessive alcohol consumption. In Germany and many other countries, football and alcohol are closely linked. For many, drinking is an integral part of social interaction, both during and around matches.

Recently, WHO published its Global Status Report on Alcohol and Health and Treatment of Substance Use Disorders (https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240096745). Among other findings, the report highlights that 2.6 million deaths worldwide were attributable to alcohol use in 2019, accounting for 4.7% of all deaths that year. The highest rates of alcohol-related deaths per 100 000 people are found in the WHO regions of Africa and Europe. Despite the fact that 56% of reporting countries have national alcohol policies and almost all of the world's population lives in countries with alcohol excise taxes, the prevalence of alcohol use generally but especially among 15-19 year olds remains unacceptably high worldwide (22%).

In light of these data, I am interested in your views on the role that global health actors, particularly those involved in development cooperation, should play in reducing alcohol consumption, specifically underage drinking worldwide. Specifically:
What strategies, both at the policy and programmatic levels, can be employed to change the perception of alcohol as an integral part of social events, such as sporting events, particularly in regions with high rates of alcohol use?