ABSTRACT
Europe has the highest drinking levels, the highest alcohol per capita consumption and the highest rates of alcohol-related harm in the world. Overall, it is estimated that 55 million people in the EU drink alcohol to harmful levels, and of these, 23 million are addicted. More than one-fourth of road traffic accidental deaths are caused by drunk driving, and over a quarter of deaths among young men are linked to alcohol. From a health perspective, alcohol is responsible for more than 60 different types of diseases and conditions including injuries, mental and behavioral disorders, and cancers. Harmful and hazardous alcohol consumption is attributed to an estimated 7.4 percent of all illness and early death in the EU (Babor et al. 2010; European Commission). 1
