Alcohol - Luxembourg Action Plan against Alcohol Misuse (PALMA)

The Luxembourg Action Plan against Alcohol Misuse (Plan d’action luxembourgeois contre le mésusage de l’alcool - PALMA) is the fruit of an initiative launched a number of years ago in Luxembourg to tackle the major public health problem of harmful alcohol consumption.

Identified as a major public health risk that affects health throughout life, from the embryonic stage to old age, alcohol not only has a significant impact on the health of individuals, but also on society as a whole. Alcohol is responsible for, and inextricably linked to, at least 60 medical conditions and its consumption is associated with an increased risk of injury, violence or accidents. Its use also correlates with a decrease in economic efficiency and the emergence of urban and social problems such as absenteeism, reduced productivity, poor performance and even an increase in criminality.

The Luxembourg Action Plan against Alcohol Misuse (PALMA) is part of a three-pronged approach:

1. an international approach underpinned by the World Health Organization European Region's action plan to reduce the harmful use of alcohol (2012-2020). This plan identifies 10 fields essential for the implementation of a national coordinated policy to reduce the damage associated with alcohol and invites the 53 Member States to take appropriate political measures for their country,
2. a European approach underpinned in 2015 under Luxembourg's Presidency of the Council of the European Union as part of its strategy to reduce the harmful effects of alcohol,
3. a national approach, stemming, on the one hand, from a political desire to protect the health of citizens, and, on the other hand, from the first National Cancer Plan, which seeks to reduce excessive consumption of alcohol, the second biggest risk factor for cancer.

Objectives of the PALMA

The main objectives of the PALMA are:

• to reduce the misuse of alcohol and its harmful effects in Luxembourg,
• to create favourable environments allowing people to adopt healthy, responsible behaviour when it comes to alcohol consumption regardless of their age, protecting young people in particular,
• to organise coordinated therapeutic care and rehabilitation of people with alcohol problems while providing support to their families.

The expected medium- and long-term effects of the PALMA are:

• a reduction in alcohol-related morbidity and mortality,
• a reduction in the societal impacts of alcohol misuse,
• development of joint responsibility between the public authorities and civil society for preventing alcohol misuse.

Measures and actions of the PALMA

The PALMA is divided into 6 areas, broken down into various measures and actions with the aim of adopting a holistic approach:

1. governance of the reduction of alcohol-related damage seeks to promote healthy, responsible consumption of alcohol and prevention in general, in partnership with the stakeholders concerned. It also involves adapting the legislative framework governing the marketing of alcohol,
2. promotion of health and the prevention of alcohol misuse, with the emphasis on raising awareness among the population in general and among specific groups (pregnant women, young people, the work environment, etc.) and on the promotion of shared, community responsibility for alcohol misuse (raising the awareness of healthcare professionals and staff in the social and educational sectors),
3. early detection of alcohol misuse, accompanied by a short intervention and an offer of support to guide the individual misusing alcohol,
4. improvement of the care pathway, from therapeutic care to rehabilitation and risk reduction, seeks to reinforce and optimise healthcare services on the one hand, and residential care on the other. Furthermore, this priority provides for the development of support services for family,
5. training of professionals aims to develop the knowledge and skills of professionals relating to alcohol misuse,
6. research seeks to contribute to the development of knowledge on alcohol misuse in Luxembourg through the organisation of research projects.