Dr. Lilian Ghandour, professor of epidemiology at the American University of Beirut, joined national efforts led by Member of Parliament Dr. Inaya Ezzedine, chair of the Women and Children Parliamentary Committee in Lebanon, to draft Lebanon's Alcohol and Energy Drinks Policy—bringing two decades of research to the policymaking table.
A series of consultative meetings were held, culminating in the final discussion of the policy draft on Monday, November 10, in the presence of Minister of Public Health Dr. Rakan Nasser El-Din. In addition to Dr. Ghandour, the session included representatives of five other ministries (Economy and Trade, Education, Information, Justice, Public Health), WHO Lebanon, Justicia Human Rights Organization, and the Internal Security Forces. The Lebanese Parliament has published the official press release, available here.
Dr. Ghandour’s significant contributions to this policymaking process are grounded in more than two decades of research generating foundational evidence on youth alcohol use in Lebanon – work that has led to her recent appointment as a member of the WHO Technical Advisory Group on Alcohol and Drug Epidemiology (TAG-ADE).
Over the past two months, Dr. Ghandour played a key role in linking research to policymaking on alcohol regulation. She presented both global and local evidence to inform the committee’s deliberations and fine-tune the wording of proposed legislative articles, co-developed two major policy documents on alcohol and energy drinks, and coordinated input from multiple stakeholders to ensure accuracy and coherence.
Reflecting on the experience, Dr. Ghandour noted:
“It has been an enriching process—one that reaffirmed how research can meaningfully inform public policy. Cross-sector discussions in particular provided opportunities to bridge divergent perspectives and foster evidence-based consensus, ensuring that decisions are informed by both scientific and contextual insights.”
On the proposed law, Dr. Inaya notes (from the press release) that the aim is “to preserve the physical, mental, and psychological health of minors, enhance their academic performance and behavior, support the development of their abilities and productivity, and reduce rising healthcare expenditures. I hope the proposal will receive the support of fellow MPs so it can be approved in the General Assembly.”
Dr. Ghandour emphasized that this initiative marks an important milestone—representing a significant first step toward establishing a policy framework dedicated to safeguarding youth and strengthening public health in Lebanon. “This effort comes at a critical time,” she noted, “as mounting global evidence underscores the central role that alcohol policies play in reducing overall consumption and in addressing the commercial determinants of health that disproportionately affect young people.”