Notably, the vast majority of these deaths occurred among men, with the highest prevalence in the 20-39 age group.
Mortality rates were also higher in low-income countries and lower in high-income countries.
“Substance use seriously harms individual health, increases the risk of chronic diseases and mental health conditions, and tragically causes millions of preventable deaths each year,” said WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
“It places a heavy burden on families and communities, increasing exposure to accidents, injuries and violence.“he added.
The report found that an estimated 400 million people were living with alcohol and drug use disorders worldwide. More than half of these individuals were living with alcohol dependence.
Given the immense health concerns, the report calls for accelerating global action to achieve target 3.5 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, reducing alcohol and drug use and improving access to quality treatment for substance use disorders.
Alcohol consumption in the world
Drinkers consume an average of two servings per day, an amount associated with increased risks of numerous health conditions and associated mortality.
Meanwhile, 38 percent of drinkers were found to have consumed four to five servings on one or more occasions during the previous month, an amount considered excessive episodic drinking.
Worldwide, the highest levels of per capita alcohol consumption were found in the WHO European Region and the Americas Region.
Treatment gap
Treatment coverage for substance use disorders remains incredibly low. The proportion of people in contact with substance use treatment services ranged from less than 1 percent to no more than 35 percent in the countries that provided this data.
Most of the 145 countries that provided data did not have a specific budget or data on government spending for the treatment of substance use disorders.
Meanwhile, almost half of the countries that responded do not offer any substance abuse support groups.
Moving towards the goal of the SDGs
To accelerate progress towards achieving SDG target 3.5, which aims to strengthen prevention and treatment of substance abuse, WHO is calling on governments and partners to step up action in several strategic areas.
“To build a healthier and more equitable society, we must urgently commit to bold action to reduce the negative health and social consequences of alcohol use and make treatment for substance use disorders accessible and affordable,” said Dr. Ghebreyesus.
Strategic areas include increasing awareness through a global advocacy campaign, increasing the capacity of healthcare systems and training of healthcare professionals, and accelerating resource mobilization.
WHO also calls for renewed commitment to the implementation of the Global Alcohol Action Plan 2022-2030, a comprehensive strategy to effectively reduce harmful alcohol consumption worldwide.
