Commenting on the article published today in The Lancet which claims that worldwide, 1 in 25 deaths are attributable to alcohol consumption, Alcohol Concern Chief Executive Don Shenker said:
“This worrying situation is unfortunately reflected in England, where we have seen deaths caused by alcohol increase almost a fifth since the beginning of the decade.
“While the main cause remains alcoholic liver disease, it’s also important to remember that alcohol can contribute to a range of cancers, strokes and heart problems. This is not to mention its role in accidents and violence.
“On both a national and global scale we’re facing a disease burden of huge proportions. There is no longer any doubt that if a society drinks large amounts of alcohol, we’ll see high levels of harm as a result.
“Many countries are investigating new ways to cut deaths and disease and reduce the burden on health services by using the price of alcohol to lower consumption. As the Chief Medical Officer has identified, putting a stop to the irresponsible sale of low cost alcohol would be an effective step in the right direction.
Alcohol Concern