Having seen increases in binge drinking among youths in the months after it slashed alcohol taxes by more than 40 percent, the government of Finland is now reporting that alcohol has become the leading killer of the nation's adults.

The Toronto Star reported Dec. 9 that according to data from the government's leading health and welfare agency, more than 2,000 people ages 15 to 64 in Finland died from alcohol poisoning or alcohol-related illnesses in 2005. Close to another 1,000 Finns died from alcohol-related accidents or violent incidents.

For the first time in the nation's history, alcohol surpassed heart disease as the leading killer of males ages 15 to 64, accounting for 17 percent of all deaths in this age group in 2005.

"This is truly a worrying trend," said Kristiina Kuussaari of the National Research and Development Center for Welfare and Health. "The serious negative effects will continue to grow for years to come."

In March 2004, the Finnish government reversed its traditional tight controls on alcohol consumption through high prices in monopoly retail outlets when it imposed the substantial reduction in alcohol taxes. The move was initiated to stem the flight of residents to Russia and Estonia to purchase cheaper alcohol.

Health officials at the time warned of the effects the tax cut would generate, and subsequently reported a 10 percent growth in binge drinking in the first six months after the tax cut took effect. Overall alcohol consumption in the country has jumped by 15 percent from 2003 to 2005. 

See also:
Alcohol Policies Really Matter
Disastrous social experiments in Finland, England and New Zealand are sobering reminders that policies about price and availability of alcohol really do matter, writes David Rosenbloom, director of Join Together. 12/15/2006