SDG #3 is to “To ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.”
Within SDG #3 are 13 targets, of which we here focus on Target 3.5:
Strengthen the prevention and treatment of substance abuse, including narcotic drug abuse and harmful use of alcohol.
Target 3.5 has two indicators:
Indicator 3.5.1: Coverage of treatment interventions (pharmacological, psychosocial and rehabilitation and aftercare services) for substance use disorders
Indicator 3.5.2: Alcohol per capita consumption (aged 15 years and older) within a calendar year in litres of pure alcohol
The UN agency overseeing the topic of substance abuse is the UNODC, or the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, as well as the WHO. There are three main International Drug Control Conventions:
On the treatment side of the topic of substance abuse, the WHO and UNODC have formulated a set of International Standards for the Treatment of Drug Use Disorders to support UN Member States to treat drug use disorders in an ethical, evidence-based way. To support member states' in relation to alcohol use, the World Health Organisation has published the International Guide for Monitoring Alcohol Consumption and Related Harm.
The World Health Organisation collects data for all Member States for per capita alcohol consumption for those aged over 15, with the leaders being Romania, Georgia and Czech Republic, with between 13-15 litres of pure alcohol per capita. The WHO and UNODC further estimate over 2 billion people worldwide drink alcohol.