The Global Burden of Disease Attributable to Alcohol, Tobacco and Illicit Drugs

Abstract

The Comparative Risk Analysis conducted as part of theWHO's estimation of the Global Burden of Disease in 2000 included three categories of psychoactive substances: tobacco, alcohol and injectable illicit drugs (heroin, cocaine, amphetamines). Of the total burden of premature death or disability, measured as Disability-Adjusted Life-Years (DALYs), tobacco accounted for 4.1%, alcohol for 4.0%, and illicit drugs for 0.8%. While for all three categories the proportional burden was highest in the developed world, the burden for alcohol was also high in low-mortality developing countries. On a global basis, there is thus strong justification for continuing a strong emphasis in public health polic..