Drink deaths 'treble in 25 years'

Mon Oct 19 2009 14:52:28

Alcohol-related deaths have almost trebled over the last 25 years, according to new research.

A study carried out by the University of the West of England for Alcohol Concern suggests that 90,800 people will die from drinking too much in the next ten years if current consumption levels continue.

The charity said alcohol-related deaths went from 3,054 in 1984 to 8,999 in 2008.

Alcohol Concern Chief Executive Don Shenker said: "Whilst there has been a small reduction in consumption and mortality over the last two years, the overall trend is a rise in consumption and a trebling of deaths since 1984.

"This rise runs in parallel with the growing affordability of alcohol. Without policies which more effectively target the cheap price of alcohol we will not get to grips with what has become one of the country's biggest public health problems."

Brigid Simmonds, Chief Executive of the British Beer and Pub Association, said: "Alcohol policies designed to reduce drinking in the whole population are misguided. Controls on the total amount we drink will not work. What we need is a new debate about effective policy measures that are clearly targeted at the minority who misuse alcohol."

England is one of the heaviest drinking countries in Europe, with more than a third of men and a fifth of women exceeding Government limits, Alcohol Concern said.

In 2006 to 2007, the estimated cost of alcohol abuse to the NHS was £2.7 billion, and the Government said last year that the total expense of harm caused by drink was around £17.7 to £25.1 billion per year.

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