Report: Number of Alcohol Drinkers in Slovakia Has Increased over Past Ten Years

Bratislava, July 27 (TASR) - The number of Slovaks consuming alcohol has increased over the past ten years, according to the latest report by the World Health Organization (WHO), which was presented this week by the Centre for the Treatment of Drug Addiction (CPLDZ) in Bratislava. According to the WHO, 74 percent of Slovaks over the age of 15 drink alcohol. When compared to 2014, the number of people drinking alcohol in Slovakia has increased by 8 percent, with more men drinking than women. "Currently, 82 percent of males in Slovakia are drinkers, which is an immense number ... The number of women drinkers is slightly lower, but that number is also increasing over time," said clinical psychologist Zuzana Kamendy. However, the amount of alcohol consumed by Slovaks per year has declined in recent years, according to the WHO report. In terms of pure alcohol, each Slovak drinks 10.5 litres, compared to almost 12 litres a decade ago, and this is average for Europe. The Romanians lead the statistics with 17 litres per year, followed by the Czechs with 13.3 litres. Slovakia ranks sixth in Europe in terms of direct alcohol-related deaths. "Almost 8 percent of deaths are caused by alcohol. This includes tragic accidents, injuries and drowning as a result of drinking alcohol, but also alcoholic liver disease and intoxication," said CPLDZ head Lubomir Okruhlica. The director noted that Slovaks prefer to drink spirits. "These are very dangerous in terms of the risk of death, whether by toxic effects on the liver or alcohol poisoning," he explained. "Although Slovakia ranks among the average countries in Europe in terms of the amount of alcohol consumed, in terms of deaths and chronic morbidity, we are doing very badly when compared to other countries," noted Okruhlica. zel/df/mf