250 million years of life lost in 2015. This is how dangerous tobacco and alcohol consumption is for human health. This May 11, the magazine Addiction published a report on the use of licit and illicit drugs. And those that come out on top are not illegal.
The study was carried out by 17 researchers, from various universities, including New South Wales in Australia, Bristol and University City College London, UK. To do this, they collected and analyzed 2015 data from the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime and the Institute for Health Figures and Evaluation. . The goal is to assess the damage caused by addictive substances.
Europe most affected
Alcohol and tobacco are well ahead. Indeed, these are the most consumed substances. The calculation method takes into account mortality but also quality of life. Tobacco and alcohol have wasted 250 million years of healthy life compared to 30 million years for illicit drugs.
The prevalence (ie the number of cases of illness in a given population) of excessive alcohol consumption is the highest at 18.3%, followed by daily tobacco consumption at 15.2%. Then comes cannabis, far behind with 3.8%, then amphetamines, 0.77% and 0.37% for cocaine.
Europe is the most affected by the prevalence of alcohol and tobacco consumption. North America has the highest prevalence for illicit drugs, but only in affluent regions.
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