FINLAND: Alcohol tops Finland killer chart

By just-drinks.com editorial team | 2 November 2006

The biggest cause of death in Finland is alcohol, according to a recent study.

A report from Finland's state statistics agency released yesterday (1 November) showed that, last year, alcohol killed more people between the ages of 15 and 64 than cardiovascular disease or cancer. Alcohol was found to be the biggest killer of Finnish men and the second largest among women.

In 2005, the report found, almost 2,000 Finns died of alcohol-related causes, beating the total a year earlier by around 150. The total per capita consumption of pure alcohol among the country's citizens in 2005 was 10.5%.

Speaking to Helsingin Sanomat newspaper, Ismo Tuominen, a Ministry of Social Affairs and Health official, said: "If the trend continues, we are talking about a significant matter even from the point of view of the economy, because people of working age pay the pensions of the coming generations, and keep the economy competitive."

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