Book Chapter

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

Juergen Rehm, Robin Room

PREVENTING HARMFUL SUBSTANCE USE: THE EVIDENCE BASE FOR POLICY AND PRACTICE | BLACKWELL SCIENCE PUBL | Published : 2005

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..

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