A new World Health Organization ( WHO ) report reveals that 2.6 million annual deaths are due to alcohol consumption , representing 4.7% of all deaths , with 2 million among men . Additionally , 0.6 million deaths are attributed to psychoactive drug use , with 0.4 million among men . The report highlights that 400 million people globally have alcohol use disorders , including 209 million with alcohol dependence .
The World Health Organization Director-General emphasizes the severe health and social impacts of substance use , urging bold actions to reduce these consequences and improve treatment accessibility . The report calls for accelerated global efforts to achieve Sustainable Development Goal ( SDG ) target 3.5 by 2030 .
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Key findings of the report include :
- Despite some reduction since 2010, alcohol-related deaths remain high, particularly in low-income countries ;
- In 2019, alcohol led to 1.6 million deaths from noncommunicable diseases and 724,000 from injuries ;
- Alcohol consumption increased risks for HIV, TB, and other communicable diseases ;
- The highest alcohol-attributable deaths were among young people aged 20–39 ( 13 % ) .
Alcohol consumption trends showed a slight global decrease , but high levels persist in the European and Americas regions . Heavy episodic drinking is prevalent, especially among men and young people .
The report identifies a significant treatment gap for substance use disorders, with low treatment coverage and limited governmental funding . Stigma and misconceptions hinder treatment efforts .
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To address these issues , World Health Organization outlines eight strategic areas for action :
- Boost awareness through a unified global advocacy campaign ;
- Enhance the prevention and treatment capabilities of health and social care systems ;
- Expand training programs for health professionals ;
- Reaffirm commitment to the Global Alcohol Action Plan 2022-2030, emphasizing the SAFER package ;
- Speed up international initiatives on capacity-building and knowledge sharing ;
- Involve civil society organizations, professional associations, and individuals with lived experience ;
- Upgrade multi-level monitoring systems and enhance research capabilities ;
- Increase resource mobilization, allocation, and innovative funding mechanisms to strengthen the capacity of health and social systems .
Therefore , InfoCons supports consumers through the European InfoCons App , a useful tool available in 33 languages, which can be downloaded from the stores : App Store , Google Play , and App Gallery . To help raise awareness about the impact of alcohol on individuals’ health as consumers , the European InfoCons App’s SOS section allows users to contact local authorities responsible for alcohol and substance consumption regulation if they notice rule violations . This section of the app can also be used offline .
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Additionally, the European InfoCons App provides consumers with useful information such as:
- Quick access to national and international emergency numbers via the S.O.S. function if users notice violations of alcohol regulations . This section is available offline, and phone numbers can be called directly from the app ;
- Emergency alerts across the European Union for the safety and health of individuals ;
- Scanning the barcode of food product labels and instantly providing information in the native language about that product: ingredients, number and types of additives, sugar and salt content, presence of allergens ;
- Customizing the app for those with specific health issues and special diets by setting limits for salt, sugar, allergens, number, and types of additives ;
- Alert settings based on preferences regarding food products .
Source : World Health Organization ( WHO )
InfoCons – European Organization for Consumer Protection and Promotion of Programs and Strategies , a full member of the World Organization Consumers International , founding member of the Federation of Consumer Associations , and member of ANEC .