The World Health Organization (WHO) has released a comprehensive report highlighting the global impact of alcohol and drug use disorders, revealing alarming statistics and calling for urgent action:
1. **Global Impact of Alcohol and Drug Use:**
– **Deaths:** Approximately 2.6 million deaths per year are attributed to alcohol consumption alone, which accounts for 4.7% of all deaths globally.
– **Disorders:** An estimated 400 million people worldwide live with alcohol and drug use disorders, with 209 million specifically dealing with alcohol dependence.
2. **Health and Social Consequences:**
– **Health Risks:** Alcohol and drug use significantly increase the risk of chronic diseases, mental health conditions, injuries, and violence. The report identifies these substances as contributors to millions of preventable deaths annually.
– **Social Impact:** Substance use disorders place a heavy burden on families and communities, exacerbating societal challenges such as accidents, injuries, and violence.
3. **Regional Variances and Consumption Patterns:**
– **Regional Impact:** The highest numbers of alcohol-attributable deaths are reported in the European and African regions.
– **Consumption Trends:** While global per capita alcohol consumption slightly decreased from 5.7 liters in 2010 to 5.5 liters in 2019, significant disparities exist between regions. For instance, the WHO European Region has the highest per capita consumption at 9.2 liters.
4. **Youth and Heavy Drinking:**
– **Youth Drinking:** The report highlights that 23.5% of all 15–19-year-olds globally are current drinkers, with particularly high rates in the WHO European and Americas regions.
5. **Treatment and Support Challenges:**
– **Treatment Coverage:** Despite effective treatment options for substance use disorders, treatment coverage remains low globally. Many countries lack specific budget allocations or support systems for substance use disorder treatment.
– **Stigma and Discrimination:** Stigma, discrimination, and misconceptions about treatment efficacy contribute to gaps in treatment provision and low prioritization of substance use disorders in health agendas.
6. **Call to Action:**
– **Strategic Areas:** The WHO urges governments and partners to focus on strategic areas such as increasing awareness, strengthening prevention and treatment capacities, scaling up training for health professionals, and mobilizing resources effectively.
7. **Global Alcohol Action Plan:** The report emphasizes the importance of recommitting to the Global Alcohol Action Plan 2022-2030, focusing on initiatives like the SAFER package to mitigate the harmful effects of alcohol consumption.
In conclusion, the WHO’s report underscores the critical need for coordinated global efforts to address the health, social, and economic challenges posed by alcohol and drug use disorders, aiming towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
