Alcohol, Europe and the developing countries.

Although most of the developing countries currently have a lower overall per capita consumption of alcohol than the European countries, the rapid rate of increase in recent years is highly significant from a public health perspective. Excessive alcohol consumption in developing countries leads to substantial negative effects on the health and also on the quality of life of the drinking individuals and their families. It also causes massive direct and indirect costs to these countries that they can ill-afford. Europe has played a major facilitatory role for alcohol consumption in the developing countries and its continues to have considerable influence directly and indirectly even now. Increased international cooperation on scientific as well as policy issues is likely to achieve the twin aims of limiting alcohol use and preventing alcohol-related health and social problems not only in Europe but all over the world, including in the developing countries. Important initial steps in this direction may be increased exchange of information, developing compatible policies and evolving culturally relevant public health measures. In order to achieve any success in limiting alcohol related problems, the need to keep a global perspective on alcohol is paramount.