Deaths from alcohol have reached a record high in the UK as data has revealed that 10,473 people died from heavy drinking. That is an increase of the previous record of 10,048, recorded by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) in the UK in 2022. That was the first time the figure passed 10,000 in a single year.
Health experts believe this is due to a surge in drinking that started in lockdowns during the pandemic in 2020. They called on ministers to do more to tackle drinking-related harm. Introducing minimum unit pricing (MUP) for alcohol was among the recommendations.
“Today’s figures paint a bleak picture of the ongoing harm caused by alcohol across the UK. It is unacceptable that year after year, we continue to see alcohol deaths rise while action from government remains woefully inadequate,” said Prof Sir Ian Gilmore, the chair of the Alcohol Health Alliance, a coalition of 60 medical groups, charities and treatment providers.
He called on ministers to crack down on “cheap, easily accessible” drinks and the “aggressive marketing that normalises excessive drinking.”
Hazardous levels are defined as being above the UK chief medical officers’ recommendation of 14 units a week. The number of people drinking at this level, according to charity Alcohol Change UK, is increasing every year. The charity pointed to multiple health problems caused by alcohol including headaches and sleeping problems, to more serious issues such as high blood pressure, anxiety, and even cancer.
Drink-related deaths “only includes those health conditions where each death is a direct consequence of alcohol – that is, wholly attributable causes such as alcoholic liver disease,” the ONS said. It does not take into account every drink-related death in the country.
Stay tuned to EyeOnLondon for the latest news and expert opinions.
Follow us on:
Subscribe to our YouTube channel for the latest videos and updates!
We value your thoughts! Share your feedback and help us make EyeOnLondon even better!
