GENEVA—Alcohol-related health risks continue to be underestimated in many countries despite extensive scientific evidence linking drinking to cancer, cardiovascular disease, liver disorders and other illnesses, prompting renewed calls from public health authorities for stronger awareness campaigns and policy measures.
The World Health Organization (WHO) says alcohol contributes to about 2.6 million deaths globally each year and is responsible for nearly 5% of the worldwide burden of disease. The agency states that alcohol is a toxic, psychoactive and dependence-producing substance and that no level of consumption is completely risk-free.
Health experts say public understanding of those risks has not kept pace with scientific evidence. Alcohol has been classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, with established links to cancers including breast, liver, colorectal and esophageal cancer. WHO also says alcohol consumption plays a causal role in more than 200 diseases, injuries and health conditions.
The agency has increasingly urged governments to strengthen alcohol-control policies, including taxation, restrictions on marketing and wider access to screening and treatment services. In a progress report released in June, WHO said alcohol-related harm remains a preventable obstacle to public health and sustainable development despite advances under its SAFER initiative, which promotes evidence-based measures to reduce harmful alcohol use.
WHO has also warned that alcoholic beverages have become more affordable in many countries because taxes have not kept pace with inflation and income growth. The organization said low alcohol taxes can contribute to higher consumption and greater rates of disease, injuries and violence, calling on governments to strengthen health-oriented tax policies.
Public health agencies have also highlighted persistent misconceptions that moderate drinking may provide health benefits. Recent reviews of scientific evidence have questioned earlier observational studies suggesting cardiovascular benefits, with researchers emphasizing that even low levels of alcohol consumption carry measurable health risks.
WHO has argued that clearer health information could improve consumer awareness. In Europe, the agency has advocated for prominent cancer warning labels on alcoholic beverages, citing surveys showing many people remain unaware of alcohol's association with several forms of cancer.
WHO says reducing harmful alcohol use remains a key component of global efforts to prevent noncommunicable diseases, which account for the majority of deaths worldwide, and continues to encourage governments to implement evidence-based policies aimed at lowering alcohol-related illness and mortality.
