Harmful intake of alcohol results in millions of death yearly – WHO
NEWS DIGEST – Globally, the harmful use of alcohol results in three million deaths per annum, the World Health Organization says in a new report.
On Wednesday, WHO published a new report on its official website highlighting the glaring gaps in the regulation of alcohol marketing across borders.
World Health Organization highlights the increasing use of sophisticated online marketing techniques for alcohol and the need for more effective regulation.
The report shows that young people and heavy drinkers are increasingly targeted by alcohol advertising, often to the detriment of their health.
“Alcohol robs young people, their families, and societies of their lives and potential”, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization said.
According to WHO, Drinking alcohol is causally linked to an array of health problems such as mental and behavioural disorders, Cardiovascular diseases, and cancer.
The World Health Organization noted that one of the biggest changes in recent years to alcohol marketing is the use of sophisticated online marketing.
“The collection and analysis of data on user’s habits and preferences by global Internet providers have created new and growing opportunities for alcohol marketers to target messages to specific groups across national borders” WHO said.
The report concludes that national governments need to integrate comprehensive restrictions or bans on alcohol marketing, including its cross-border aspects, into public health strategies.
