Over 3 million people worldwide die of hazardous use of alcohol, the World Health Organization has reported.
The report further states that one person die through alcohol influence every 10 seconds representing 5%( percent) of all global deaths.
According to the global health organization, a disproportionate 13
5% of alcohol related deaths occur among youth between the ages of 20 and 39.
This is captured in the World Health Organization’s report “Reducing the harm from alcohol- by regulating cross-order alcohol marketing, advertising and promotion”.
The report highlights how alcohol is digitally marketed across borders with no regard to the receiving country’s social, cultural and economic environment.
Young people and heavy drinkers have become major targets of alcohol advertisers.
WHO in the report expressed concern over increasing use of sophisticated online techniques for alcohol marketing and stressed the need for effective regulation.
Director General of the World Health Organization pointed out that alcohol denies the youth of their potential and called for effective regulation of the substance.
“Alcohol robs young people, their families and societies of their lives and potential. Despite the clear health risks, controls on marketing of alcohol are much weaker than other psychoactive products. Better, well enforced and more consistent regulation of alcohol marketing would both save and improve young lives across the world.” Dr.Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stressed.
Alcohol consumption is associated to a number of health and safety risks such as mental and behavioral disorders.
This include chronic alcohol dependence, liver cirrhosis, identified cancers and other cardiovascular disease.
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Many deaths and injuries recorded through violence and road traffic crashes are directly linked to alcohol use.
The report attributed the rising use of alcohol to poor regulation of the marketing and promotion of the substance.
The report pointed out that the digital revolution has made the marketing and promotion of alcohol a cross- border trade.
Dag Rekve of the Alcohol, Drug and Addictive Behavior Unit of the WHO said online marketing of the product makes it more difficult for countries to effectively regulate alcohol marketing in their national jurisdictions.
He observed that lack of effective regulation due to cross-border alcohol marketing is a major threat to children, women and heavy drinkers.
The report found that global alcohol production and marketing is targeted at the world’s young and densely populated areas such a Africa and Latin America.
