This story was first published in digitalhealth.net
Chief medical officer issues warning amid alcohol-related rise of deaths
Sally Davies, England’s chief medical officer, has warned that people should take responsibility for their drinking, as UK figures show the rate of alcohol-related deaths is rising.
Data, published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), shows that despite deaths due to drinking declining since 2008 where it peaked, the incidence is rising again. In 2014 there were 8,697 alcohol-related deaths registered in the UK, a 0.3 per cent increase on the 2014 figure.
At a science and technology committee hearing, Davies warned: "I would like people to make their choice knowing the issues and do as I do when I reach for my glass of wine and think, 'Do I want my glass of wine or do I want to raise my risk of breast cancer?'. And I take a decision each time I have a glass."
Recent changes to official guidelines recommends that both men and women should consume no more than 14 units of alcohol per week, invalidating previous limits which suggested a weekly allowance of 21 units for men and 14 units for women.
Tom Smith, of charity Alcohol Concern, said: "These latest figures show that alcohol-related deaths are back on the rise. The figures also highlight the dangers of middle-aged drinking, with the highest number of alcohol-related deaths among 55 to 64-year olds."
Public Health England are also expected to publish a report on how authorities can work together to reduce the harms caused by alcohol.
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