New research shows the number of alcohol-related deaths in England increased by 42.2% since the COVID-19 war, the highest level recorded. Researchers called the rise in deaths “catastrophic” and noted that more than 8,200 people have died due to alcohol in 2023 alone, according to Anadolu Agency.
Besides the significant uptick in deaths, the report said the government is lacking the support for these individuals because of funding cuts. The report said just 15 to 18% of individuals who are classified as alcohol-dependent have access to treatment and less than 1% receive treatment at a rehab institution—which is below the 11% average across Europe.
Officials in England are implementing new strategies in hopes to stop the surging rate of deaths attributed to alcohol that have grown exponentially since the start of the COVID-19 lockdown.
A time when governments across Europe shut down life while leaders like former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson partied with staffers.
The BBC noted that when the government shut down pubs during the COVID outbreak, individuals resorted to buying alcohol in shops to drink at home.
The report said men were most impacted by the trend. The heaviest-drinking age group was between 55 and 75 years old.
Colin Angus, addictions expert from the University of Sheffield, told the BBC that economic privation could lead to people reducing their amount of alcohol consumption, but it can also lead to;
an increase in drinking as a response to stress.
Cheap alcohol has been seen as a major culprit and there has been some debate about charging a minimum price. According to a recent report from Dr. Ara Darzi, a surgeon and member of the House of Lords;
Alcohol is becoming more affordable over time, and deaths are rising at an alarming rate. In the pandemic, there was a 10.8% annual increase between 2019 and 2022
The British Medical Journal reported that 80% of the adults in the U.K. drink alcohol, and said liquor has been tied to various health issues ranging from cancer, liver disease, and mental health issues.
The U.S. saw a 70% rise in alcohol-related deaths from 2012 to 2022. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noted that about 178,000 people die from excessive drinking in the country each year. Most of the deaths were the result of a chronic condition that resulted over alcohol consumption over an extended period of time.
COVID War lockdowns changed life on earth and killed the human spirit. So individuals, desperate to feel some sense of calm and happiness, turn to spirits.
