Commentary on current changes of the SoHT 2016 consensus on alcohol markers in hair and further background information.

•The SoHT consensus on alcohol markers in hair was revised by an expert group.•The EtG cut-offs 7pg/mg (abstinence) and 30pg/mg (alcohol abuse) remained unchanged.•Instead of the sum of four fatty acid ethyl esters only ethyl palmitate is applied.•Cut-offs for abstinence and alcohol abuse were derived from data of 7 laboratories.•These are 0.12 (0.15)ng/mg and 0.35 (0.45)ng/mg for 0–3 (0–6) cm hair segment.