This episode of 'The AUB Researcher' featured the work of Dr. Lilian Ghandour on alcohol epidemiology in the context of Lebanon. In her interview, Dr. Ghandour stresses that there is no safe limit to alcohol use in young people as it has been internationally shown to affect normal brain development. Dr. Ghandour further describes the objectives and findings of her research aimed at formulating an evidence-informed national alcohol harm reduction strategy. She shares important findings relevant to the regulation of alcohol availability and affordability, perceived challenges to adopting a national strategy, as well as conflict of interest and high industry interference.
Since early 2020, Lebanon has been grappling with the Covid-19 pandemic, a collapsing economy, and other pressing issues. Dr. Ghandour's recent research has also shown a recent reported increase in the use of alcohol (as well as tobacco and other psychoactive substances), all the more reason to ensure that evidence-informed policies are enforced to protect all members of our society. This in line with the global action to address harmful alcohol consumption not only as a public health issue but also as a sustainable development goal.
You can watch the interview here