The World Health Organization (WHO) revealed on Tuesday that alcohol is responsible for nearly three million deaths each year.
Despite a slight decline in the death rate over recent years, the number of fatalities remains alarmingly high.
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According to the latest WHO report on alcohol and health, alcohol consumption is linked to approximately one in 20 deaths globally each year.
These deaths result from various factors, including drink driving, alcohol-induced violence, abuse, and numerous diseases and disorders.
In 2019, alcohol consumption was attributed to 2.6 million deaths, representing 4.7 percent of all deaths worldwide that year.
The report highlighted that nearly three-quarters of these fatalities were among men.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasized the severe health impacts of alcohol, noting that it significantly increases the risk of chronic diseases and mental health conditions, leading to millions of preventable deaths annually.
He acknowledged some progress in reducing alcohol consumption and related harms since 2010 but stressed that the overall burden remains unacceptably high, particularly among younger populations.
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The WHO report noted that the highest proportion of alcohol-related deaths in 2019—13 percent—occurred among individuals aged 20 to 39.
Alcohol consumption is linked to numerous health conditions, including liver cirrhosis and various cancers.
In 2019, noncommunicable diseases accounted for an estimated 1.6 million of the alcohol-related deaths.
These included 474,000 deaths from cardiovascular diseases, 401,000 from cancer, and 724,000 from injuries, such as traffic accidents and self-harm.
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Alcohol abuse also increases susceptibility to infectious diseases, including tuberculosis, HIV, and pneumonia. In 2019, about 209 million people worldwide—3.7 percent of the global population—were living with alcohol dependence.
The report found that total per capita alcohol consumption worldwide slightly decreased from 5.7 liters in 2010 to 5.5 liters in 2019.
However, alcohol consumption is unevenly distributed globally, with over half of the world’s population over the age of 15 abstaining completely.
Europe had the highest levels of per capita drinking at 9.2 liters, followed by the Americas at 7.5 liters.
The lowest consumption rates were found in predominantly Muslim countries in Northern Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.
In 2019, the average daily consumption among drinkers was 27 grams of pure alcohol, equivalent to about two glasses of wine, two small bottles of beer, or two shots of spirits.
This level of drinking is associated with increased risks of numerous health conditions, mortality, and disability.
A significant 38 percent of current drinkers reported engaging in heavy episodic drinking—consuming at least 60 grams of pure alcohol in one sitting—within the preceding month.
Among 15- to 19-year-olds, 23.5 percent were considered current drinkers, with this figure rising to over 45 percent in Europe and nearly 44 percent in the Americas.
The WHO stressed the importance of improving access to quality treatment for substance use disorders.
In 2019, the proportion of individuals accessing treatment services ranged from less than one percent to 35 percent in reporting countries.
Vladimir Poznyak, head of WHO’s unit for alcohol, drugs, and addictive behaviors, highlighted that stigma, discrimination, and misconceptions about treatment efficacy contribute to significant gaps in treatment provision.
