This initiative includes policies that reduce the affordability, availability, and acceptability of alcohol, particularly in the heaviest-drinking countries, mitigating the effects of alcohol consumption on public health. The Global alcohol action plan 2022–2030, endorsed by WHO Member States, aims to reduce the harmful use of alcohol through effective, evidence-based strategies at national, regional and global levels. This emphasizes the importance of protecting policy-making processes from industry interference that aims to delay or weaken public health measures that would reduce alcohol consumption. The EU is the heaviest-drinking area globally, with 7 of the 10 countries with the highest per-capita alcohol consumption located within the EU.
Alcohol use may begin in the teens, but alcohol use disorder occurs more frequently in the 20s and 30s, though it can start at any age. An intervention from loved ones can help some people recognize and accept that they need professional help. Other ways to get help include talking with a mental health professional or seeking help from a support group such as Alcoholics Anonymous or a similar type of self-help group. Alcohol use disorder can include periods of being drunk (alcohol intoxication) and symptoms of withdrawal.
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- But good evidence shows that drinking high amounts of alcohol are clearly linked to health problems.
- The harmful use of alcohol results in the death of 2.6 million people annually.
- Consider talking with someone who has had a problem with drinking but has stopped.
- The risk of developing cancer increases substantially the more alcohol is consumed.
- It also causes harm to the well-being and health of people around the drinker.
But good evidence shows that drinking high amounts of alcohol are clearly linked to health problems. To combat this, WHO advocates for transparency in policy development, the exclusion of the alcohol industry from policy discussions, and the implementation of regulations to limit the industry’s influence on public health. A critical aspect of the Region’s approach is addressing the commercial determinants of health, particularly the influence of the alcohol industry on public health policy. The Global status report on alcohol and health and treatment of substance use disorders presents a comprehensive overview of alcohol consumption, alcohol-related… Here, over 200 million people in the Region are at risk of developing alcohol-attributable cancer. It doesn’t matter how much you drink – the risk to the drinker’s health starts from the first drop of any alcoholic beverage.
Factors affecting alcohol consumption and alcohol-related harm
Binge drinking is behavior that raises blood alcohol levels to 0.08%. The definition of heavy drinking is based on a person’s sex. In the past, moderate alcohol and acutane drinking was thought to be linked with a lower risk of dying from heart disease and possibly diabetes. And drinking raises the risk of problems in the digestive system. For example, it may be used to define the risk of illness or injury based on the number of drinks a person has in a week.
Reducing youth exposure to alcogenic environments: What can be learnt from community-led approaches?
This comprehensive report details the full extent of the way that alcohol is being marketed across national borders – often by digital means –… WHO highlights glaring gaps in regulation of alcohol marketing across borders Strengthening alcohol control and road safety policies Despite this, the question of beneficial effects of alcohol has been a contentious issue in research for years. The only thing that we can say for sure is that the more you drink, the more harmful it is – or, in other words, the less you drink, the safer it is,” explains Dr Carina Ferreira-Borges, acting Unit Lead for Noncommunicable Disease Management and Regional Advisor for Alcohol and Illicit Drugs in the WHO Regional Office for Europe.
- Drinking moderately if you’re otherwise healthy may be a risk you’re willing to take.
- This initiative includes policies that reduce the affordability, availability, and acceptability of alcohol, particularly in the heaviest-drinking countries, mitigating the effects of alcohol consumption on public health.
- Alcohol use may begin in the teens, but alcohol use disorder occurs more frequently in the 20s and 30s, though it can start at any age.
- Heavy drinking, including binge drinking, is a high-risk activity.
- While the risk is low for moderate intake, the risk goes up as the amount you drink goes up.
Consider talking with someone who has had a problem with drinking but has stopped. Listen to relatives, friends or co-workers when they ask you to examine your drinking habits or to seek help. You might not recognize how much you drink or how many problems in your life are related to alcohol use.
WHO has identified that the most cost-effective actions to reduce the harmful use of alcohol include increasing taxes on alcoholic beverages, enforcing restrictions on exposure to alcohol advertising, and restrictions on the physical availability of retailed alcohol. Surrogate and illegally produced alcohols can bring an extra health risk from toxic contaminants. In this context, it is easy to overlook or discount the health and social damage caused or contributed to by drinking. When it comes to alcohol, if you don’t drink, don’t start for health reasons. In the United States, people younger than age 21 are not legally able to drink alcohol. Heavy drinking also may result in alcohol withdrawal symptoms.
Risk factors
Landmark public health decisions by WHO on essential medicines for alcohol use disorders Although it is well established that alcohol can cause cancer, this fact is still not widely known to the public in most countries. Disadvantaged and vulnerable populations have higher rates of alcohol-related death and hospitalization, as harms from a given amount and pattern of drinking are higher for poorer drinkers and their families than for richer drinkers in any given society. Globally, the WHO European Region has the highest alcohol consumption level and the highest proportion of drinkers in the population. In the EU, cancer is the leading cause of death – with a steadily increasing incidence rate – and the majority of all alcohol-attributable deaths are due to different types of cancers. However, latest available data indicate that half of all alcohol-attributable cancers in the WHO European Region are caused by “light” and “moderate” alcohol consumption – less than 1.5 litres of wine or less than 3.5 litres of beer or less than 450 millilitres of spirits per week.
Restricting alcohol availability in practice: evidence from selected countries
Alcohol is the leading risk factor for premature mortality and disability among those aged 20 to 39 years, accounting for 13% of all deaths in this age group. Harmful use of alcohol is accountable for 6,9 % and 2.0% of the global burden of disease for males and females respectively. Overall, harmful use of alcohol is responsible for 4.7% of the global burden of disease. Drinking moderately if you’re otherwise healthy may be a risk you’re willing to take.
Risks start from the first drop
For example, any amount of drinking increases the risk of breast cancer and colorectal cancer. It also causes harm to the well-being and health of people around the drinker. The European framework for action on alcohol, 2022–2025, adopted by all 53 Member States, uses the latest evidence to address alcohol-related harms through comprehensive, evidence-based policies and collaborative efforts. Alcohol is a toxic, psychoactive substance linked to over 200 diseases and conditions, including 7 types of cancer. The technical package for the SAFER initiative focuses on five key alcohol policy interventions that are based on accumulated evidence of their impact… The global SAFER initiative is a partnership between WHO, UNIATF, UNDP and civil society organizations to advocate for and facilitate implementation of the most cost-effective interventions to reduce alcohol related harm.
Theories suggest that for certain people drinking has a different and stronger impact that can lead to alcohol use disorder. Binge drinking causes significant health and safety risks. The 2010 WHO Global strategy to reduce the harmful use of alcohol and the 2022 WHO Global action plan are the most comprehensive international alcohol policy documents, endorsed by WHO Member States, that provides guidance on reducing the harmful use of alcohol at all levels.
In some situations, the risk of drinking any amount of alcohol is high. For men, heavy drinking means more than four drinks on any day or more than 14 drinks a week. For women, more than three drinks on any day or more than seven drinks a week is heavy drinking. Heavy drinking, including binge drinking, is a high-risk activity.
Global strategy to reduce the harmful use of alcohol In 2019, the worldwide total consumption was equal to 5.5 litres of pure alcohol per person 15 years and older. There are 230 different types of diseases where alcohol has a significant role.
Alcohol as an intoxicant affects a wide range of structures and processes in the central nervous system and increases the risk for intentional and unintentional injuries and adverse social consequences. Disadvantaged and especially vulnerable populations have higher rates of alcohol-related death and hospitalization. This is particularly true for those in social environments with high visibility and societal influence, nationally and internationally, where alcohol frequently accompanies socializing. In many of today’s societies, alcoholic beverages are a routine part of the social landscape for many in the population. Alcohol is a toxic and psychoactive substance with dependence producing properties.
In the United States, moderate drinking for healthy adults is different for men and women. The evidence for moderate alcohol use in healthy adults is still being studied. Many people drink alcohol as a personal preference, during social activities, or as a part of cultural and religious practices.
During pregnancy, drinking may cause the unborn baby to have brain damage and other problems. Heavy drinking also has been linked to intentional injuries, such as suicide, as well as accidental injury and death. That usually means four or more drinks within two hours for women and five or more drinks within two hours for men. As consumption goes up, the risk goes up for these cancers.