The government's Prevention Council on Monday published a framework document outlining Estonia's alcohol policy through 2035, a follow-up to the Alcohol Policy Green Paper released by the Ministry of Social Affairs in 2014.

The document notes that Europe has the highest alcohol consumption of any World Health Organization (WHO) region and that alcohol consumption in Estonia exceeds the European average.

While Estonians aged 15 and over consumed an average of 10.4 liters of pure alcohol per person in 2019, the figure was 10.7 liters in 2024. It peaked at 11.2 liters in 2022.

Although alcohol consumption among young people continues to decline overall, the document points to a growing trend among young women. It attributes this increase to more frequent wine consumption.

According to an analysis by the Estonian Institute of Economic Research, alcohol has also become more affordable. Between 2018 and 2024, net wages rose by 44 percent, while beer prices increased by 15 percent and vodka prices actually fell by 0.33 percent. As a result, the average monthly net salary in 2024 could buy 27 more liters of vodka and 88 more liters of beer than six years earlier.

To reduce alcohol consumption, the council identifies several priority areas: alcohol affordability, physical availability and the retail environment, early detection and treatment, public safety and awareness of alcohol's health risks.

Its first recommendation is a gradual increase in alcohol excise duties, saying higher taxes have an immediate impact on consumption by reducing alcohol use within three months.

"Well-designed excise tax increases not only reduce overall alcohol consumption and the harm it causes, but also increase government budget revenues," the document states.

The council also wants to shape the surrounding environment in ways that encourage lower alcohol consumption by reducing both its availability and visibility. Proposed measures include further shortening retail alcohol sales hours, banning alcohol sales in the immediate vicinity of schools and kindergartens and reducing the number of outlets licensed to sell alcohol.

It also proposes restricting alcohol sales at gas stations and on the grounds of public beaches, while tightening advertising rules. For example, it recommends rotating health warning messages in alcohol advertisements and adding warnings about cancer risk.

To promote abstaining from alcohol, the document also calls for encouraging alcohol-free events and the creation of "other alcohol-free environments."

A separate action plan will be prepared by an interagency steering group to implement the strategy. The plan will assign responsibilities, establish performance indicators and set a more detailed timetable.

The Prevention Council is an interagency government commission responsible for issues related to prevention, criminal policy, drug policy and child protection.

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