Alcohol kills more than AIDS, TB or violence
Drinking causes more than 4 percent of deaths worldwide, WHO warns


By Stephanie Nebehay

updated 2/11/2011 8:41:51 AM ET

GENEVA— Alcohol causes nearly 4 percent of
deaths worldwide, more than AIDS,
tuberculosis or violence, the World Health  
Organization  warned on Friday.

Rising incomes have triggered more drinking
in heavily populated countries in Africa and
Asia, including India and South Africa, and
binge drinking is a problem in many developed
countries, the United Nations agency said.

Yet alcohol control policies are weak and
remain a low priority for most governments
despite drinking's heavy toll on society from
road accidents, violence, disease, child neglect
and job absenteeism, it said.

Approximately 2.5 million people die each year
from alcohol related causes, the WHO said in
its "Global Status Report on Alcohol and
Health."

"The harmful use of alcohol is especially fatal
for younger age groups and alcohol is the
world's leading risk factor for death among
males aged 15-59," the report found.