Alarming Statistics on Alcohol and Drug Abuse
According to the latest report from the World Health Organization (WHO), over three million deaths occur annually due to alcohol and drug abuse. Specifically, 2.6 million deaths are attributed to alcohol consumption, accounting for approximately 4.7% of the total global deaths each year. An additional 0.6 million deaths result from the abuse of psychoactive narcotics. A significant majority of these deaths are men, with 2 million due to alcohol and 0.4 million due to drugs.
Impact on Health and Society
Substance abuse has severe repercussions on individual health, significantly increasing the risk of chronic diseases and mental health issues. Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Director-General of the WHO, emphasized the need for bold actions to mitigate the negative health and social consequences of alcohol abuse. He highlighted the importance of making post-alcohol treatment accessible and economically sustainable for all.
The WHO report revealed that despite a slight reduction in mortality rates linked to alcohol consumption since 2010, the overall number of victims remains alarmingly high. In 2019 alone, 2.6 million deaths were due to alcohol abuse, with the highest numbers reported in Europe and Africa. Additionally, over 1.6 million deaths resulted from non-communicable diseases, including 474,000 from cardiovascular diseases and 401,000 from cancers. Another 724,000 deaths were due to accidents, such as car crashes, self-harm, and interpersonal violence.
A particularly concerning statistic from 2019 is that 13% of alcohol-related deaths involved young people aged between 20 and 39. Alcohol abuse also increases vulnerability to infectious diseases like tuberculosis, AIDS, and pneumonia. The report noted that around 209 million people were living with alcohol dependence in 2019, representing 3.7% of the global population.
Despite a slight decrease in individual annual alcohol consumption from 5.7 liters in 2010 to 5.5 liters in 2019, consumption patterns are unevenly distributed worldwide. Europe has the highest levels of alcohol consumption, averaging 9.2 liters per year, followed by the Americas at 7.5 liters. In contrast, predominantly Muslim countries in North Africa, the Middle East, and Asia report the lowest consumption levels.
- In 2019, the average drinker consumed approximately 27 grams of alcohol per day, equivalent to two glasses of wine, two beers, or two shots of hard liquor. This level of consumption is associated with higher risks of various diseases, mortality, and disabilities. The report also highlighted that 38% of habitual drinkers admitted to engaging in heavy drinking episodes, defined as consuming at least 60 grams of pure alcohol on one or more occasions during the previous month.
- The prevalence of habitual drinking among 15-19 year olds is particularly alarming. Globally, 23.5% of individuals in this age group are considered habitual drinkers. However, this figure jumps to over 45% for European youths and nearly 44% for those in the Americas. The WHO underscores the urgent need to improve access to quality treatment for substance use disorders. In 2019, the proportion of people in contact with drug services ranged from less than 1% to a maximum of 35%, depending on the country.
- Vladimir Poznyak, head of the WHO's alcohol, drugs, and addictive behaviors department, pointed out that stigma, discrimination, and misconceptions about the effectiveness of treatments contribute to significant gaps in the availability of necessary treatments.
