1 in 25 deaths are directly attributable to alcohol consumption

[Lovelee]

Research from Canada's own Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) featured in this week's edition of the Lancet shows that worldwide, 1 in 25 deaths are directly attributable to alcohol consumption. This rise since 2000 is mainly due to increases in the number of women drinking.

CAMH's Dr Jürgen Rehm and his colleagues found that alcohol-attributable disorders are among the most disabling disease categories within the global burden of disease, especially for men. And in contrast to other traditional risk factors for disease, the burden attributable to alcohol lies more with younger people than with the older population.

Dr. Rehm still takes an optimistic 'glass half full' response to this large and increasing alcohol-attributable burden. "Today, we know more than ever about which strategies can effectively and cost-effectively control alcohol-related harms," Dr. Rehm said today. "Provided that our public policy makers act on these practical strategies expeditiously, we could see an enormous impact in reducing damage."

The study showed that Europe had a high proportion of deaths related to alcohol, with 1 in 10 deaths directly attributable (up to 15% in the former Soviet Union). Average alcohol consumption in Europe in the adult population is somewhat higher than in North America: 13 standard drinks per person per week (1 standard drink = 13.6 grams of pure ethanol and corresponds to a can of beer, one glass or wine and one shot of spirits) compared to North America's 10 to 11 standard drinks. The recent Canadian consumption rate is equivalent of almost 9 standard drinks per person per week age 15 plus, and has been going up, as has high risk drinking. Globally, the average is around 7 standard drinks per person per week (despite the fact that most of the adult population worldwide actually abstains from drinking alcohol).

Most of the deaths caused by alcohol were through injuries, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and liver cirrhosis.

"Globally, the effect of alcohol on burden of disease is about the same size as that of smoking in 2000, but it is relatively greatest in emerging economies. Global consumption is increasing, especially in the most populous countries of India and China."

CAMH is known for its pioneering research in the most effective ways of reducing the burden of alcohol. For example, CAMH endorsed the legislative change implemented this year requiring young Ontario drivers to maintain a 0% blood alcohol content; in many jurisdictions this measure has reduced alcohol-related crashes and saved lives.

Other evidence-based policies proven to reduce harms include better controls on access to alcohol through pricing interventions and outlet density restrictions as well as more focused strategies such as violence reduction programs in licensed premises. Within health care, provision of screening and brief interventions for high risk drinkers has enormous potential to reduce the contribution of alcohol to the onset of cancer and other chronic diseases.

"There are significant social, health and economic problems caused by alcohol," said Gail Czukar, CAMH's executive vice-president, Policy, Education and Health Promotion. "But research gives us sound, proven interventions that governments and health providers can use to address these problems."

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090626102332.htm

[guest49]

Yeah  but consider also, that one in 25 accidental deaths are attributed to water.  [US stats]

Oh yeah - just water - not with your whiskey!

[Kiwithrottlejockey]

So based on the death toll attributed to smoking marijuana (does any organisation keep statistics on it?), is alcohol the more dangerous recreational drug of the two when it comes to dying from the use of? Or is it marijuana?

[Lovelee]

I dont think there are any deaths attributed to MJ in the world, TJ.

This sort of stuff bring out the hypocrisy of legal drugs.  And fires the ignorance of those who know little about any drug.

The new drug driving tests for instance, no forethought about the prescribed drugs which are clearly marked do not drive while taking this medication.  I wouldnt consider driving after taking a sleeping pill the night before, they affect me for half the next day.

[Lovelee]

A new report by the Institute of Criminology says alcohol consumption was a factor in almost half of all homicides in Australia.

The research showed that 47 per cent of homicides between 2000 and 2006 were classified as alcohol-related.

Report author Jason Payne says previous research had shown homicides between intimate partners were less likely to involve alcohol.

"What we found was actually the opposite of that," he said.

"Previous research in Australia had actually found that intimate partner homicides, that is those homicides that occur between people in an intimate relationship, were in fact less likely to involve alcohol.

"Our study found that in fact they were equally likely to involve alcohol than when compared to other homicides."

[Calliope]

The current focus on problems caused by alcohol in New Zealand occurs in a context which most New Zealanders are unaware of. Over 1,000 people in New Zealand die directly from alcohol related causes each year – because of car accidents, drownings, liver cirrhosis and approximately 60 other health problems caused by drinking. This statistic does not even begin to reflect the reduced quality of life which thousands of others experience because of excessive drinking.

Economist, Brian Easton says the cost of damage caused by alcohol in New Zealand is $16 billion a year rather than the $4 billion cited by ALAC and frequently misquoted by other sources. He even says New Zealand’s population would be 30,000 higher than it is if it weren’t for premature deaths caused by drinking.

International mortality figures are equally disturbing. In the United States, government estimates say alcohol is responsible for 100,000 deaths a year. In the European Union, alcohol is estimated to kill 200,000 people a year - that’s 540 people a day.

Alcohol related death occurs in virtually every country in the world, a situation which in many respects resembles a pandemic. Pandemics are classified by the World Health Organisation on a scale of severity from 1 to 5 – where a category 1 kills less than 0.1 of those who contract the condition and a category 5 kills at least 2%.

Using the 785,000 New Zealanders who binge drink regularly as ‘those with the condition’, the annual death rate from alcohol consumption in New Zealand makes it a category 1 pandemic.

The worst pandemic in New Zealand history was the influenza epidemic of 1918 which killed an estimated 8,200 Kiwis. That was nearly 100 years ago. Excessive alcohol consumption is akin to a category 1 pandemic that hits us every year - not once every hundred years.

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0806/S00354.htm

[ssweetpea]

I wonder how many smoking kills?

[Lovelee]

I dont think Ive attended one DV where smoking was involved. 

[Calliope]

I wonder how many smoking kills?

According to nz statistics, smoking kills 16% of New Zealanders. However how they prove that is beyond me.

[Magoo]

New Zealand has a booze mentality.   Kids grow up with beer in the fridge with the cheese and the old man grabbing a stubbie the minute he walks in the door before tea.    I have seen people ask their child to get them a beer because they were busy watching TV.    They grow up thinking that the chateau cardboard and the tinnies go in the supermarket trolley first.   
There are 10 bars, bistro, licenced premises in the community where I live and they are thriving. 

[Lovelee]

I dont have any problem with Dad grabbing a beer as he walks in the door from work, hes working, hes not hanging around at the pub after work, driving home after having had 2 - 3 beers.

Our local town - population about 300 - has 6 liquor outlets, the pub itself doesnt do that well, the sports club does OK, the rest are restaurant/bars.

A local went to see the cop last week - he laid a complaint in regard to the number of people (alcoholics) who are at the pub at 12 midday when they open to 4 - 5pm when they go home for tea, driving.  The cop didnt want to know about it.

[Jodes]

I have always thought smoking should be made illegal...maybe excessive drinking should be too.

[Magoo]

I have always thought smoking should be made illegal...maybe excessive drinking should be too.

You won't get an argument from me on that score.    I can't understand how someone could spend a fortune investing in a dose of emphysema and damaged brain cells.   What a future.    There is a guy in our village who potters about on his mobility scooter with tanks on the back...smoking.

[Jodes]

Smoking in all public places should be illegal. I hate walking into supermarkets and plaza's.....all the smokers are outside the entrances puffing away, it reeks and there are cancer butts all over the place...filthy disgusting habit.
I don't have a problem with people having a couple of drinks at home or when out to dinner but drunks are also a bane on society. Domestic violence and drink driving being only two of the destructive behaviours exhibited by drunks and those who binge drink.