In this research article published in Globalization and Health, Øystein Bakke and Sally Casswell analysed the background and use of the expression «harmful use of alcohol» in the context of WHO governing bodies, current challenges and implications for public health. Bakke and Casswell argued that the language used – that of «harmful use of alcohol» in WHO documents holds political power in that it may influence the subsequent course of events. They highlighted that such power is accentuated by the normative role of WHO in global health policy and the uptake of negotiated language beyond WHO documents. They called for monitoring the progression in the framing of ‘no safe level’, and if and how this framing challenges ‘harmful use of alcohol’. Bakke and Casswell also called for monitoring how commercial interests respond to any expansion of the ‘no safe level’ framing and how it will contribute to the policy debate in the lead-up to 2030.
Recommended citation: Bakke, Ø., Casswell, S. (2025). Framing alcohol harm in the UN context – the importance of language. Globalization and Health 21 (23). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12992-025-01117-4