Alcohol consumption contributed to 2.6 million deaths worldwide annually, according to a recent report from the World Health Organization, with psychoactive drug use responsible for another 0.6 million.
Together, those numbers represented 4.7% of all deaths total worldwide.
Those most affected were young people ages 20 to 39—specifically men, who accounted for 2 million of those deaths, with most occurring in Europe and Africa.
And while there has been some reduction in alcohol-related deaths since 2010, the recently reported numbers—which represent 145 countries from 2019—show a stubborn, lethal problem, and "the overall number of deaths due to alcohol consumption remains unacceptably high," notes the report, which was released in June.
Globally, an estimated 400 million people, or 7% of the world’s population age 15 years and
older, live with alcohol use disorders, defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) as "a problematic pattern of alcohol use leading to clinically significant impairment or distress." An estimated 209 million (3.7% of the adult world population), meanwhile, live with alcohol dependence.
The specific causes of death were far-reaching, based on 31 health conditions that, based on scientific evidence, could be connected to alcohol use.
It was a similar case when looking at the use of psychoactive drugs—defined by WHO as substances that have the ability to change "consciousness, mood or thinking processes" and include nicotine, opioids, cannabis, cocaine, amphetamines and other stimulants, hallucinogens, hypnotics and
sedatives, and psychoactive inhalants.
"Substance use severely harms individual health, increasing the risk of chronic diseases, mental health conditions, and tragically resulting in millions of preventable deaths every year. It places a heavy burden on families and communities, increasing exposure to accidents, injuries, and violence," Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general, said in a press release about the findings. "To build a healthier, more equitable society, we must urgently commit to bold actions that reduce the negative health and social consequences of alcohol consumption and make treatment for substance use disorders accessible and affordable."
Of all deaths that could be traced to alcohol in 2019, the report found that an estimated 1.6 million were from noncommunicable diseases, including 474,000 deaths from cardiovascular diseases and 401,000 from cancer.
In addition, 724,000 deaths were due to injuries, including traffic accidents, self-harm, and "interpersonal violence," while another 284,000 deaths were linked to communicable diseases such as HIV, as alcohol consumption has been shown to increase the risk of transmission because of the higher risk of having unprotected sex.
Causes of death connected with drug use included stroke and coronary artery disease, accidental injury, violence, suicide, and cancer.
Finally, the WHO report highlights the fact that access to quality treatment for substance
use disorders is still largely limited or unaffordable for those who need it most. "This affects almost half a billion of people worldwide who live with alcohol or drug use disorders," notes Tedros in the report, pointing to "stigma, discrimination and misconceptions about the efficacy of treatment" as stubborn factors.
More on alcohol and your health:
- Global cancer rates are expected to rise 77% by 2050, the WHO warns. From aging to alcohol, here's why
- Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation–funded alcohol study finds only risks, zero benefits for young adults
- Alcohol-fueled hospital visits are spiking among middle-aged women, study says
