How serious are the harms from alcohol in the Region?

Alcohol harms individuals, families, and communities, affecting not only those who drink, but also those around them. In Europe, alcohol is a leading cause of death with almost 800 000 deaths every year. Every day, around 2200 people die from alcohol-related causes in the Region. Deaths due to alcohol represent almost 9% of all deaths occurring in the Region, the highest contribution of alcohol to all-cause mortality globally.  

NCDs, such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases, account for 90% of all deaths in the Region and 85% of years lived with disability. The majority of deaths due to alcohol in the Region were from NCDs (over 600 000 deaths per year) and approximately half of these were from cardiovascular diseases (i.e. heart diseases), the leading cause of death due to alcohol. The report also notes a particularly high incidence of alcohol-related cancers. European countries have some of the highest incidences of alcohol-related cancers globally due to high alcohol consumption and an ageing population.  

This is only exacerbated by very low awareness of the fact that alcohol is one of the most important risk factors for cancer. Although alcohol has been classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), meaning that there is undeniable evidence that alcohol can cause cancer in humans, this fact is not widely known.

Are countries doing enough to reduce alcohol consumption and harms?

Despite the clear evidence of the harms caused by alcohol, many European countries have yet to make significant progress in implementing the WHO-recommended policies, including the most cost-effective interventions that are known as the WHO “Best Buys.” These are: 1) increasing excise taxes on alcoholic beverages; 2) implementing comprehensive restrictions on alcohol marketing; and 3) reducing the availability of alcohol.   

While raising awareness of the risks associated with alcohol consumption and providing support services and other individual level interventions make a difference, to make significant reductions in consumption and harm at a population level, these “Best Buys” are the interventions that have been proven to work. An ongoing project in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, for instance, showed that, as soon as population-level alcohol control policies are implemented, people consume less alcohol, the harms from alcohol go down, and overall life expectancy increases, so even the most vulnerable groups live longer. 

Dr Gauden Galea highlights the need for immediate action. “We have the tools and the knowledge to reduce alcohol consumption and related harms. What we need now is the political will to implement these evidence-based policies. As the 2025 deadline for the UN High-Level Meeting approaches, we must accelerate our efforts and commit to the necessary changes to protect the health and well-being of our populations.” 

WHO urges all countries to intensify their efforts to meet the targets of the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By implementing the “Best Buys” and other effective population-level strategies, countries can significantly reduce the burden of alcohol-related diseases, deaths, disabilities, and injuries.