The World Health Organization (WHO) outlined the harmful consequences of alcohol usage and the use of psychotropic medications on world health in recent research. According to the study, alcohol use results in around 2.6 million deaths annually, or 4.7% of all fatalities worldwide. Moreover, psychoactive drug usage contributed to over 0.6 million deaths. Of these fatalities, 0.4 million males were caused by drugs and 2 million by alcohol.
According to the data of 2019, the WHO has come up with a status report on alcohol and health, which represents an integrative update with emphasis on the scale of alcohol use and drug use disorders in the world. It also unveiled that around 209 million people suffered from alcohol dependence, whereas an estimated 400 million people worldwide lived with alcohol and drug use issues.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO, urges how much substance use exposes users to increased risks of chronic diseases, mental health conditions, and preventable deaths. He therefore called for urgent robust actions to reduce such impacts and get better access to the treatment of disorders linked to substance use, hence promoting the achievement of SDG target 3.5, which aims to achieve a reduction in consumption and enhancement of access to treatment by 2030.
Regarding alcohol-specific health impacts, the report notes a slight reduction in death rates since 2010 but highlights persistent high mortality rates, with 2.6 million deaths attributed to alcohol consumption in 2019. The highest numbers of alcohol-related deaths were observed in the European and African regions. Notably, low-income countries experienced the highest death rates per liter of alcohol consumed, contrasting with lower rates in high-income countries.
Noncommunicable illnesses, such as cancer and cardiovascular disease, accounted for the bulk of alcohol-related fatalities in 2019 (1.6 million), whereas injuries and communicable diseases contributed to 724,000 and 284,000 deaths, respectively. The survey also shows a correlation between alcohol use and higher chances of TB and HIV infections.
Despite the fact that total alcohol per capita global consumption has been in decline from 5.7 liters in 2010 to 5.5 liters in 2019, regional disparities remain. The highest per capita assessed consumption was in the WHO European Region (9.2 liters) and in the Region of Americas, with 7.5 liters. As underlined in the report, heavy episodic drinking, which is considered quite common among men, remains a global problem—38% of current drinkers.
Regarding treatment for substance use disorders, the report identifies a substantial treatment gap despite the existence of effective interventions. Treatment coverage remains alarmingly low, with only a fraction of affected individuals accessing services globally. Many countries lack dedicated budget lines for substance use disorder treatment, exacerbating the challenge of addressing these disorders effectively. Stigma, discrimination, and misconceptions about treatment efficacy further impede progress in closing these treatment gaps.
The WHO report concludes by urging concerted global efforts to address alcohol and substance use disorders comprehensively. It calls for enhanced policy measures, increased funding allocations, and the promotion of supportive environments for affected individuals to improve treatment access and reduce the associated health and social burdens worldwide.
