THE economic benefits of putting policies in place to reduce harmful alcohol consumption would save millions of lives and also be much higher than the costs, according to a new Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) report.

"’Preventing Harmful Alcohol Use’ [report] estimates that for every USD 1 invested, up to USD 16 is returned in economic benefit, excluding the impact on alcohol-related businesses," said the OECD.

The analysis of 52 OECD, European Union and G20 countries show that life expectancy will be 0.9 years lower over the next 30 years due to diseases and injuries caused by drinking more than a drink per day for women and 1.5 drinks per day for men, corresponding to a lower-risk threshold specifically used for the simulation.

This estimate varies widely across countries, which reflects the level of alcohol consumption and the provision of health care services. The largest reductions in life expectancy are estimated in Central and Eastern European countries.

Diseases and injuries from alcohol consumption above 1/1.5 drinks per day cause medical costs equal to about 2.4 per cent of total health expenditure each year.

Combined with the impact on labour force productivity, it is estimated that GDP will be 1.6 per cent lower on average in OECD countries annually over the next 30 years, varying from 0.2 per cent in Turkey to 3.8 per cent in Lithuania.

The report finds a higher number of people reporting an increase in volume and frequency of drinking during the COVID-19 pandemic. In Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States, overall alcohol sales slightly increased by 3-5 per cent in 2020 compared to 2019, according to preliminary estimates.

During the lockdowns, women, parents of young children, people with higher income and those with anxiety and depressive symptoms reported the highest increase in alcohol consumption, for instance in Australia, Belgium, France, the UK and the US.

Harmful patterns of alcohol consumption, such as underage, heavy or binge drinking, are highly prevalent in some population groups. "Monthly binge drinking is a habit for one in three adults in OECD countries. Women with higher education and people with the lowest and the highest incomes are particularly at risk," it added.

Analysis of national efforts to reduce harmful alcohol consumption reveals that in many countries the implementation of policies on the ground and their effectiveness are hindered by poor implementation, limited resources or practical problems.

A comprehensive approach, including limiting the promotion of alcohol to children, better police enforcement to prevent alcohol-related traffic injuries, expanding coverage of counselling for patients with harmful alcohol consumption, and price policies to limit the affordability of alcohol, particularly for cheap alcohol, would have the biggest impact, according to the report.