A report released today by the World Health Organisation claims that alcohol is responsible for the death of more than 3.3 million people worldwide every year, or one person every 10 seconds.
That statistic takes into account drink driving, a multitude of diseases and disorders caused by alcohol and alcohol-induced violence and abuse.
The shocking figures add up to 5.9 percent of global deaths (7.6 percent for men and 4.0 percent for women).
The report comes at a time when alcohol consumption globally is rising, including in countries where consumption has traditionally been quite low.
Of the deaths attributed to alcohol, almost a third are caused cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, while accidents caused by alcohol, such as car crashes, accounted for over 17 per cent of deaths.
The report includes a map of the 2010 data, which shows that Russia and neighbouring countries are still home to the heaviest drinkers in the world. Ireland fell into the second highest per capita group, with consumption of 10 to 12.4 litres of pure alcohol per person.
