NEW DELHI: India needs a dedicated national alcohol policy to address the country’s rising alcohol consumption and its growing impact on public health, a senior official of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has said. The call comes as recent NFHS-6 findings point to an increase in alcohol consumption among men, while alcohol use among women remains a concern in several states.
Dr Shalini Singh, Director of the ICMR-National Institute of Cancer Prevention and Research (ICMR-NICPR), Noida, said India requires comprehensive, evidence-based measures to regulate alcohol consumption and reduce its contribution to the country’s growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including cancer and cardiovascular diseases.
Dr Singh also highlighted the strong link between alcohol and tobacco consumption, stressing that the two public health issues should not be addressed separately. According to her, the combined use of alcohol and tobacco can significantly increase the risk of head and neck cancers, oesophageal cancer and liver disease. She called for integrated NCD risk-factor surveillance, coordinated prevention campaigns and stronger cessation support.
The ICMR official noted that India currently does not have a comprehensive national alcohol-control framework comparable to the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, 2003 (COTPA), which regulates tobacco products. She advocated measures such as minimum unit pricing, restrictions on alcohol advertising, a ban on surrogate advertising, regulation of liquor outlet density and standardised product labelling with health warnings.
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According to Dr Singh, the latest NFHS-6 findings strengthen the case for a National Alcohol Control Policy. She said restrictions on direct and surrogate alcohol advertising across media platforms, along with minimum pricing and clearer health warnings, could form important components of a national framework aimed at reducing harmful alcohol consumption.
The rise in alcohol consumption among men, she said, reflects trends seen across several emerging and low- and middle-income economies. Rising disposable incomes, changing social norms, aggressive marketing and gaps in regulatory enforcement are among the factors contributing to increased alcohol use.
Alcohol consumption among women also remains a concern, particularly in states where prevalence is higher than the national average. Dr Singh said persistent consumption among women in some states may be linked to local social norms, where drinking is less stigmatised, as well as the availability of locally brewed or country liquor. Unregulated production and the potential presence of adulterants can create additional health risks, she noted.
The NFHS-6 data also indicate that alcohol consumption is a significant concern in rural areas. Dr Singh said the rural-urban differences in tobacco and alcohol use reflect broader structural determinants of health and underline the need for targeted interventions outside major urban centres.
She recommended integrating alcohol and tobacco screening, brief counselling and cessation support into frontline healthcare services and Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres (AB-HWCs). She also called for sustained anti-alcohol and anti-tobacco campaigns designed specifically for rural populations, regional-language audiences, women and young people.
Dr Singh emphasised that such campaigns should be implemented and funded on an annual basis rather than being limited to occasional public-health drives. A coordinated national approach, she suggested, could help India address alcohol-related health risks while strengthening its broader strategy for preventing NCDs and cancer.
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