Adopting a resolution proposed by the European Union and others, the board of the World Health Organization (WHO) agreed to launch the study after issuing a report noting that alcohol killed 1.8 million people worldwide in 2000. Alcohol use and overuse appear to be rising worldwide even as consumption falls in some industrialized nations, the WHO noted.

"Public-health problems associated with alcohol consumption have reached alarming proportions, and alcohol has become one of the most important risks to health globally," the report said.

The research could lead to a global campaign against alcohol misuse similar to WHO's efforts on such issues as smoking and obesity.

The resolution adopted by WHO sets a two-year deadline for the report and calls for discussions with the alcohol industry.

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