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Inside WHO statistics linking 3.3 million annual deaths to alcohol abuse
24th June, 2026 03:32 PM
Alcohol is a psychoactive substance with dependence-producing properties that has been widely used in many cultures for centuries.
According to the WHO, the harmful use of alcohol causes a large disease, social and economic burden in societies.
Environmental factors such as economic development, culture, availability of alcohol and the level and effectiveness of alcohol policies are relevant factors in explaining differences and historical trends in alcohol consumption and related harm.
In a report released by WHO, the global burden of substance abuse remains significant, as harmful alcohol consumption contributes to about 3.3 million deaths annually.
“The harmful use of alcohol results in 3.3 million deaths each year. On average every person in the world aged 15 years or older drinks 6.2 litres of pure alcohol per year,” WHO explained.
In addition, the WHO has further confirmed that the average person aged 15 and above consumes 6.2 litres of pure alcohol each year.
“Less than half the population (38.3%) actually drinks alcohol, which means that those who do drink consume on average 17 litres of pure alcohol annually. At least 15.3 million persons have drug use disorders,” WHO stated.
Alcohol related harm
Alcohol-related harm is determined by the volume of alcohol consumed, the pattern of drinking, and, on rare occasions, the quality of alcohol consumed.
The harmful use of alcohol is a component cause of more than 200 disease and injury conditions in individuals, most notably alcohol dependence, liver cirrhosis, cancers and injuries.
The latest causal relationships established are those between alcohol consumption and incidence of infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS.
A wide range of effective global, regional and national policies and interventions are in place to reduce the harmful use of alcohol, with a promising trend over the past few decades.
WHO 2025 report on Alcohol
The 2025 World Health Statistics report by the World Health Organisation highlighted a concerning rise in global alcohol consumption, with developing nations seeing the steepest increase.
The report warns that harmful drinking patterns are contributing to higher rates of liver disease, road accidents, and mental health disorders.
At the time, WHO warned that in Sub-Saharan Africa, alcohol-related harm was rising, especially among young adults.
WHO went on to urge governments to strengthen alcohol control policies, including taxation, age restrictions, and awareness campaigns.
The report also noted that countries with strict regulations and public health initiatives showed significantly lower levels of alcohol-related harm and mortality
