Alcohol biggest killer, WHO warns

ALCOHOL causes more deaths worldwide than AIDS, tuberculosis or violence, the World Health Organisation has warned.

Yet alcohol-control policies are weak and remain a low priority for most governments despite the heavy toll drinking takes on society via road accidents, violence, disease, child-neglect and job absenteeism, the United Nations agency said.

The WHO’s ‘Global Status Report on Alcohol and Health’ said around 2.5 million people die each year from alcohol-related causes — nearly 4% of all deaths worldwide.