Alcohol sales data are essential for good public policies towards alcohol

Australians pay a substantial price for the pleasure they derive from alcohol. According to the latest estimate, on a net basis, alcohol accounts for 2.2% of the total disease burden in Australia. This is marginally more than illicit drugs (2.0%), but alcohol’s toll would be even higher if the 3430 deaths of young adults caused by alcohol-related road crashes, accidents, assaults, suicide and other causes were not partially offset by 2345 deaths from heart disease counted (some would argue erroneously) as having been averted by moderate drinking in adults over the age of 65. This report was written by Wayne D Hall, Tanya N Chikritzhs, Peter H N d’Abbs and Robin G W Room