With end-of-year celebrations on the horizon, the Ministries of Health and Social Security have launched a campaign to raise awareness of excessive alcohol consumption, encouraging people to drink sensibly throughout the festive season.

The campaign focuses on alcohol's impact on health and society as a whole, highlighting how excessive consumption can lead to an increased risk of injury, violence or accidents. Alcohol consumption is also linked to 60 medical conditions, including certain types of cancer. Its use also correlates with a reduction in economic efficiency, and the emergence of urban and social disorders such as absenteeism, a drop in productivity, a drop in performance or even an increase in crime.

Campaign posters encourage drinkers to moderate their consumption amid the seasonal onslaught of festive parties and gatherings, asking people to find less harmful alternatives to celebrate the holiday season.

RTL

© Ministère de la Santé et de la Sécurité sociale

Luxembourg's alcohol consumption in numbers

A 2019 World Health Organization (WHO) report found that the European region accounts for the world's highest level of alcohol consumption per capita, as well as the highest proportion of alcohol consumers.8.4% of the population in the European Union drink alcohol every day. Alcohol consumption causes approximately 1 million deaths each year in Europe, with many cases affecting young people (average age of 21.2 years for women and 27.5 years for men). The majority of deaths are caused by accidents.

In 2019, Eurostat put Luxembourg in third place for excessive alcohol consumption, with 34.3% of residents admitting to drinking excessively at least once a month. An additional study published the same year by Luxembourg's health directorate and Institute of Health (LIH) indicated that around 43% of the Grand Duchy's population aged over 15 consumed alcohol on a weekly basis, with around 9% consuming it daily.

A 2022 study on health behaviour in school-aged children showed that almost half (42.7%) of young people aged between 11 and 18 have consumed alcohol at least once in their life.

In Luxembourg, drunk driving is the number two cause of road accidents. In 2022, the road traffic report recorded 15 deaths and 36 serious injuries linked to driving under the influence.