Greece has the lowest alcohol-related death rate in Europe, according to Eurostat data. However, the new report published by the EU statistical body revealed that despite the “positive” ranking, alcohol overconsumption continues to take the lives of more than 350 people every year (0.35 deaths per 100,000 population).

The data showed that Greece recorded a 29% increase in alcohol-related deaths in the decade 2011-2020, with the ratio “rising” from 0.27 to 0.35. These figures are only 1/10th of the corresponding European figures, which reach up to 3.7 deaths per 100,000 population.

The leading country in terms of the fatal effects of alcohol overconsumption is Slovenia, with 17.3 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, followed by Poland (10.05), Denmark (7.3) and Croatia (6.45). Accompanying Greece at the bottom of the list, are find Cyprus, Italy, Malta and Greece.

The authors of the report also point out that in 2020 alone, 193,893 deaths were recorded in the European Union as a result of mental and behavioural disorders, representing 3.7% of all deaths. The reference to mental and behavioural disorders is important as, among other things, they are related to the use of psychoactive substances, such as alcohol or drug dependence.

The death rate from mental and behavioural disorders in the European Union was 39.1 deaths per 100,000 people in 2020, with men having a higher mortality rate (40.1) than women (36.8).