Study co-author Jurgen Rehm, an addiction specialist and a senior scientist at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health at the University of Toronto, said alcohol's risks have been understated because several studies have shown that a drink a day can reduce the risk of heart attacks. As a result, he said, the industry has been able to escape the harsh health warnings associated with cigarettes even though alcohol is an obvious public-health threat.

According to Rehm's study, the health benefits of alcohol use are generally overstated, and are virtually non-existent for young people. "Even small amounts of alcohol increase the risk of injury and boost the chances of developing about 60 diseases, including several cancers, liver cirrhosis, and neurorpsychological disorders," Rehm's report said.

The WHO said the report's findings should serve as a stepping-stone for an international debate about the need to reduce global alcohol consumption.

The study appears in the April 8 issue of the journal Nature.

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