The World Health Organization (WHO) announced this week that alcohol is to blame for just about 4 percent of, or 2.5 million deaths, worldwide annually. AIDS was a close second with 2.1 million deaths in 2009.
Alcohol is a causal factor in 60 types of diseases and injuries, according to WHO's first report on alcohol since 2004. Its consumption has been linked to cirrhosis of the liver, epilepsy, poisonings, road traffic accidents, violence, and several types of cancer, including cancers of the colorectum, breast, larynx and liver.
Despite drinking's heavy toll on society from crashes, violence, disease, child neglect and job absenteeism, the international public health community views alcohol control policies as weak and remain a low priority for most governments outside of the developed world.
The report states: "The harmful use of alcohol is especially fatal for younger age groups and alcohol is the world's leading risk factor for death among males aged 15-59. Worldwide, about 11% of drinkers have weekly heavy episodic drinking occasions, with men outnumbering women by four to one. Men consistently engage in hazardous drinking at much higher levels than women in all regions."
