As the third leading cause of preventable death after tobacco use and air pollution, alcohol consumption is responsible for 41,000 cancer-related deaths annually (mouth, esophagus, liver, colorectal, and breast cancers; cardiovascular diseases; digestive diseases; accidents; suicides; mental illnesses; behavioral disorders, etc. Alcohol consumption causes significant harm not only due to the severity of the associated health conditions but also because of its impact on public, private, and professional spheres: acts of violence, increased vulnerability, accidents in the home, on the road—it is the leading cause of traffic accidents—and in the workplace.
Furthermore, drinking patterns are changing, particularly across age groups and generations, with younger people, including young women, increasingly seeking intoxication.
Finally, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder is the leading non-genetic cause of intellectual disability in France.
The health impact and social harm caused by alcohol consumption in France remain considerable and require the continuation of public health policies aimed at reducing alcohol consumption in our country.
In this context, Santé publique France’s efforts focus on monitoring alcohol consumption and preventing excessive drinking. These efforts are part of:

• The Cancer Plan 3 (2014–2019)

• The National Mobilization Plan led by Mildeca

These plans are implemented at the regional level under the auspices of the ARS. At this level, Santé publique France is responsible, on the one hand, for providing the ARS and their regional partners with observational and evaluation data, and, on the other hand, for strengthening the coordination between the national and regional levels for the implementation of intervention measures, particularly social marketing campaigns. This regional-national interaction is a key lever for reducing social and territorial inequalities.

Epidemiological Surveys

Santé publique France leads or participates in various epidemiological surveys of the general population, young people, and pregnant women. This helps, in particular, to understand alcohol consumption and its trends, the health consequences resulting from such consumption, and the most effective ways to address these issues.

Surveys on Alcohol Consumption

• Santé publique France Barometers

The Santé publique France Barometers are telephone surveys designed to measure the health-related knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors of people residing in France. Established in the 1990s, they provide a wide range of health indicators, thereby contributing to the development and implementation of public policies at both the national and regional levels. More than twenty editions have been conducted to date, covering topics such as addiction, nutrition, mental health, cancer, infectious diseases, sexual health, and more. The Santé publique France Barometers make it possible, in particular, to analyze health behaviors according to criteria such as age, gender, and socioeconomic status. This information is key to defining the target audiences for social marketing initiatives. Since 1992, Santé publique France’s Barometers have focused on the adult population (ages 18–75), while indicators for younger age groups are collected by the French Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction (OFDT).

Learn more

• Health Barometers

  • Public Health France Barometer 2024: Alcohol Consumption: Exceeding Low-Risk Guidelines. Public Health France Barometer: Results of the 2024 Edition

• Health Barometers: Alcohol

  • Andler R, Cogordan C, Richard JB, Demiguel V, Regnault N, Guignard R, Pasquereau A, Nguyen-Thanh V. Alcohol and tobacco use during pregnancy.

  • Richard J.-B., Cogordan C., Palle C., Obradovic I. Consumption patterns and their distribution: products consumed and trends ADSP, 2015, vol. 90: pp. 10–15

  • Richard J.-B., Nguyen-Thanh V., Beck F. Focus on young people aged 18–25. Public Health News and Reports No. 90, 2015. Alcohol and Health.

  • Richard J.-B., Palle C., Guignard R., Cogordan C., Andler R., Nguyen-Thanh V., et al. Alcohol consumption in France in 2014: characteristics and recent trends. Evolutions, 2015, vol. 32: 6 pp.

• The EnCLASS survey (National Survey of Adolescents in Middle and High Schools on Health and Substances), led by the OFDT, is a merger of the HSBC (Health Behavior in School-aged Children) and ESPAD (European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs).

  • The HBSC (Health Behavior in School-aged Children) survey is a quadrennial school-based survey focused on health and its determinants.

  • The ESPAD (European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs) survey is a quadrennial school-based survey first conducted in 1995 with the support of the Council of Europe. Its main objective is to collect standardized and comparable data on the use of psychoactive substances among 15- to 16-year-olds in Europe. It thus provides an excellent comparison of the tobacco, alcohol, and drug use patterns among European youth aged 15 to 16.

• The ESCAPAD Survey (Survey on Health and Consumption During the Defense Readiness Drill)

The Escapad survey was launched in 2000 by the French Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction (OFDT) in partnership with the Directorate of National Service and Youth (DSNJ); This survey takes place during Defense and Citizenship Day (JDC) and focuses on late adolescence. It provides an overview of the levels of psychoactive substance use among 17- and 18-year-olds and, thanks to its repeated administration using the same methodology, tracks changes in these patterns at the end of adolescence, in metropolitan France and in the overseas departments and territories.

Prevention Initiatives to Reduce Alcohol Consumption

As part of efforts to reduce the risks associated with alcohol use, Santé publique France aims to:

• to promote the development of programs designed to prevent, delay, or limit alcohol consumption among young people

• to promote the reduction of health risks

• to provide information on the short- and long-term health risks of alcohol consumption

• to develop communication and social marketing strategies to change attitudes and behaviors

• to actively inform women about the risks to the fetus from alcohol consumption during pregnancy.

Santé publique France relies on several tools to assist the public:

• the development of expert opinions: risk assessments and new guidelines

• information and awareness campaigns: the “Repères” campaign, the SAF campaign, posters, and brochures available in the “Tools” tab and on the website alcool-info-service.fr

Remote assistance: the Alcool Info Service program

Santé publique France provides alcohol users and their loved ones with a remote support service: Alcool Info Service.
Users and their loved ones can contact Alcool Info Service via:

• Phone: 0 980 980 930, a standard-rate number. This service is available 7 days a week, including weekends and holidays, from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m.;

• Onlinewww.alcool-info-service.fr, which provides access to the following services:

  • Chats

  • Q&A

  • Automatic callback (web callback).

The website also provides the public with information, advice, a directory of specialized addiction treatment services, and support forums.

The Alcool Info Service is an anonymous and confidential service designed to serve as a bridge between users and treatment services. Its mission is to inform, guide, advise, and support.