The Global Information System on Alcohol and Health GISAH folder

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Go to GISAH The Global Information System on Alcohol and Health (GISAH) provides easy and rapid access to a wide range of alcohol-related health indicators. It is an essential tool for assessing and monitoring the health situation and trends related to alcohol consumption, alcohol-related harm, and policy responses in countries.

This web site contains information pertaining to psychoactive substance use and abuse, and also information about the World Health Organization's projects and activities in the areas of substance use and substance dependence.

WHO is the only agency dealing with all psychoactive substances, regardless of their legal status. WHO’s mandate in the area of psychoactive substance use includes:

Prevention and reduction of the negative health and social consequences of psychoactive substance use;

Reduction of the demand for non-medical use of psychoactive substances;

Assessment of psychoactive substances so as to advise the United Nations with regard to their regulatory control.

Since its founding in 1948, WHO has played a leading role in supporting countries to prevent and reduce the problems due to psychoactive substance use, and in recommending which psychoactive substances should be regulated. In 2000, the Department of substance abuse was merged with the Department of mental health to form the Department of mental health and substance abuse, reflecting the many common approaches of management of mental health and substance use disorders. In 2020 the department changes its name to Department of mental health and substance use to reflect the broader scope of psychoactive substance use and health.