Sri Lanka launches the WHO SAFER technical package and its first alcohol investment case: turning evidence into action

Sri Lanka has taken a significant step towards reducing alcohol-related harm with the launch of the WHO SAFER technical package and the country’s first comprehensive alcohol investment case. The event brought together government leaders, health professionals, researchers, civil society organizations and international partners around a shared message: alcohol is a toxic, psychoactive and dependence-producing substance, the harm it causes is preventable, and reducing that harm requires coordinated action across society.

Dr Nalinda Jayatissa, Hon. Minister of Health and Mass Media, called for evidence-based action to reduce alcohol-related harm and set out where the Government stands:

Dr Rajesh Sambhajirao Pandav, WHO Representative to Sri Lanka, emphasized that alcohol control is one of the most cost-effective investments a country can make: 

A hidden burden affecting every community

Alcohol is a toxic, psychoactive and dependence-producing substance. The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies it as a Group 1 carcinogen, the highest risk group, which also includes asbestos, radiation and tobacco. Alcohol causes at least seven types of cancer, including cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus, liver, colon and rectum, and female breast. It also contributes to liver disease, cardiovascular disease, injury, violence and alcohol use disorders.

Alcohol-related harm in Sri Lanka extends far beyond the person who drinks. Experts highlighted that alcohol contributes to more than 20,000 deaths annually, causes an estimated LKR 335 billion in economic losses each year, and is associated with nearly one fifth of road traffic deaths. Yet statistics tell only part of the story.

One story shared during the presentations recalled a tragic road crash involving a driver who had been drinking that cost the life of a police officer and devastated two families. Alcohol-related harm reaches beyond health: it affects family income, education, productivity, safety, social stability and national development.

The children behind the numbers

Global School-based Student Health Survey data show that alcohol use among adolescents aged 13–17 years increased from 3.2% in 2016 to 5.6% in 2024, with the sharpest increase among boys. Health experts warned that early initiation of alcohol use increases the risk of harmful drinking patterns later in life and contributes to future burdens of disease, injury and social harm. Evidence also points to substantial exposure of young people to direct and indirect forms of online alcohol marketing. Although the National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol Act, No. 27 of 2006 bans alcohol advertising, promotion and sponsorship across traditional media and the internet, it predates today’s social media environment.

When families benefit, everyone benefits

One of the most compelling sessions featured experts working directly with people experiencing alcohol-related problems. Evidence from Sri Lanka showed that even brief conversations about alcohol use can make a meaningful difference. People who received screening and brief intervention reported reductions in harmful drinking patterns and improvements in their daily lives. Family members reported less conflict, improved relationships, better financial management and a more stable home environment. Researchers noted that success should not be measured only by abstinence, but also by reductions in harm and improvements in quality of life.

The economic case for action

The released alcohol investment case makes a compelling argument for action. Alcohol-related harm costs Sri Lanka approximately LKR 335 billion annually, equivalent to around 2.2% of GDP based on 2023. However, the report also demonstrates that investment in evidence-based alcohol control measures generates substantial returns. Over the next 20 years (2044), implementing five proven alcohol-control interventions could:

• Save approximately 104 000 lives
• Gain nearly 987 400 healthy life years
• Avert around LKR 643 billion in economic losses
• Generate an estimated LKR 12.20 return for every LKR 1 invested

These findings position alcohol control not simply as a health intervention, but as an investment in economic growth, productivity, education, social wellbeing and sustainable development.

Sri Lanka's first alcohol investment package, alongside the WHO SAFER initiative, officially launched under the patronage of Hon. Minister of Health and WHO Representative to Sri Lanka, at an event in July 2026.

Introducing SAFER: five actions that save lives

The WHO SAFER package was introduced, a set of five evidence-based interventions designed to reduce alcohol-related harm. The package calls for countries to:

S – Strengthen restrictions on alcohol availability

A – Advance and enforce drink–driving countermeasures

F – Facilitate access to screening, brief interventions and treatment

E – Enforce bans or comprehensive restrictions on alcohol advertising, sponsorship and promotion

R – Raise prices on alcohol through excise taxes and pricing policies

Three of the five areas, raising taxes, restricting availability and banning marketing, are among the WHO “best buys”, the most cost-effective interventions recommended in Appendix 3 of the global action plan for the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases. Drink–driving countermeasures and screening, brief interventions and treatment are recommended as effective and ethically sound interventions. Together, the five areas make up a high-impact package. Successful implementation of SAFER will require coordinated action across multiple sectors, including health, finance, law enforcement, transport, education, local government and civil society.

Dr Andrea Bruni, Mental Health Advisor at WHO SEARO, presenting about the SAFER technical package at WHO SAFER initiative launch in Colombo, July 2026.

Building strong foundations

The launch places Sri Lanka’s action within the framework agreed by Member States. The Global alcohol action plan 2022–2030, was adopted by the Seventy-fifth World Health Assembly through decision WHA75(11) in 2022, sets a target of a 20% relative reduction in the harmful use of alcohol by 2030, compared with 2010. Reducing harmful use of alcohol is also an explicit commitment under Sustainable Development Goal target 3.5, for which alcohol per capita consumption is an agreed indicator, and it contributes to targets 3.4 on noncommunicable diseases and 3.6 on road traffic deaths.

The launch signalled a renewed national commitment to strengthening alcohol-control measures as part of Sri Lanka’s broader efforts to prevent noncommunicable diseases, improve road safety, protect children and adolescents, and promote healthier communities.

Sri Lanka already has many of the building blocks required for effective alcohol control. The National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol Act, No. 27 of 2006 bans alcohol advertising, promotion and sponsorship, sets the minimum legal purchase age at 21 years, among the highest in the world, and prohibits alcohol-branded merchandise and in-store promotion. Excise regulations restrict outlet siting near schools and places of worship, and limits apply to hours of sale. The National Policy on Alcohol Control (2016) adds ten priority policy areas and a commitment to protect the population from the consequences of alcohol use. The challenge now is to strengthen implementation, enforcement and accountability to maximize the public health impact.

As emphasized throughout the event, the next phase is not about starting from zero, but about moving from policy intent to measurable public health outcomes through stronger enforcement, monitoring and accountability. This includes strengthening drink–driving enforcement, enhancing primary care screening and brief intervention services, addressing digital marketing, and modernizing regulatory systems.

Turning evidence into action

The investment case demonstrates the scale of the problem and the benefits of action. The SAFER package provides a roadmap. Existing laws provide a strong foundation. What is needed next is implementation, accountability and sustained political commitment. Community engagement, in schools, workplaces and among local leaders, will be central to prevention, to reducing stigma and to sustaining recovery.

Participants from government, health services, academia, civil society organizations and development partners at the national launch of the WHO SAFER technical package and the alcohol investment case.

The launch concluded with a call for a future in which fewer families suffer from alcohol-related harm, fewer lives are lost on the roads, and more people receive help when they need it. As Sri Lanka moves forward with implementation of SAFER, the message from Colombo was clear: the evidence is available and the solutions are known. WHO and its partners remain committed to supporting the Government of Sri Lanka in translating this momentum into sustained action and measurable public health gains.