Over 3 Million Annual Deaths Attributable to Alcohol and Drug Use, Majority Among Men

A new report from the World Health Organization (WHO) has revealed alarming statistics regarding the global impact of alcohol and psychoactive drug use on public health. According to the report, 2.6 million deaths per year are attributable to alcohol consumption, accounting for 4.7% of all deaths worldwide, while psychoactive drug use accounts for an additional 0.6 million deaths annually. The majority of these deaths—2 million from alcohol and 0.4 million from drugs—occur among men.
The WHO’s “Global Status Report on Alcohol and Health and Treatment of Substance Use Disorders” provides a comprehensive update based on 2019 data. The report underscores the severe public health impact of alcohol and drug use, highlighting that an estimated 400 million people globally live with alcohol use disorders, with 209 million suffering from alcohol dependence.
“Substance use severely harms individual health, increasing the risk of chronic diseases, mental health conditions, and tragically resulting in millions of preventable deaths every year. It places a heavy burden on families and communities, increasing exposure to accidents, injuries, and violence,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.
The report emphasizes the urgent need for global action to achieve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target 3.5 by 2030, which aims to reduce alcohol and drug consumption and improve access to quality treatment for substance use disorders.
Despite some reduction in alcohol-related death rates since 2010, the overall number of deaths due to alcohol consumption remains unacceptably high, with the highest numbers reported in the European and African regions. The death rates due to alcohol consumption per litre of alcohol consumed are highest in low-income countries and lowest in high-income countries.
In 2019, alcohol consumption resulted in 2.6 million deaths, with an estimated 1.6 million deaths from noncommunicable diseases, including 474,000 from cardiovascular diseases and 401,000 from cancer. Injuries, such as those from traffic crashes, self-harm, and interpersonal violence, accounted for 724,000 deaths, while another 284,000 deaths were linked to communicable diseases. Notably, 13% of alcohol-attributable deaths in 2019 were among young people aged 20–39 years.
The report also highlights that 38% of current drinkers engaged in heavy episodic drinking, defined as consuming at least 60g of pure alcohol on one or more occasions in the preceding month—roughly equivalent to 4 or 5 glasses of wine, bottles of beer, or servings of spirits. Continuous heavy drinking was particularly prevalent among men.
The WHO report calls for intensified global efforts to reduce the health and social burdens attributable to substance use. “To build a healthier, more equitable society, we must urgently commit to bold actions that reduce the negative health and social consequences of alcohol consumption and make treatment for substance use disorders accessible and affordable,” said Dr. Ghebreyesus.
Addressing the root causes of substance use and improving access to treatment are essential steps towards achieving SDG target 3.5. Governments and partners are urged to take comprehensive and coordinated actions to tackle the challenges posed by alcohol and drug use. This includes implementing effective policies, increasing public awareness, and ensuring that support and treatment services are readily available to those in need.