Citation

Christie B. BMJ 2024; 385: q963.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2024, BMJ Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1136/bmj.q963

PMID

38670595

Abstract

Campaigners are calling for action to tackle a worsening public health crisis after new data showed that the death toll from alcohol related causes has reached record levels in the UK.

At a time when 27 people in the UK are dying a day as a result of alcohol misuse, drinks companies are spending some £6bn promoting their products in major markets around the world.1

The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS)2 show that in 2022 there were 10 048 deaths (16.6 per 100 000 people) from alcohol specific causes registered in the UK, the highest number on record. This was 32.8% higher than in 2019, before the covid pandemic. Death rates stabilised in the period from 2012 to 2019.

Meanwhile, a report published on 25 April by the World Health Organization on substance misuse among children in 44 countries has found the highest prevalence of drinking among children in England.3 At age 11, 35% of boys and 34% of …

Language: en

Keywords

*Alcohol Drinking/mortality/adverse effects; Humans; United Kingdom/epidemiology