Raise tax on alcohol and junk food to cut deaths from liver disease, experts say
Summary
Experts say governments in Europe should raise taxes on alcohol and unhealthy foods to reduce liver disease deaths, which total 284,000 per year. They recommend strong health warnings on alcohol products and stopping ads targeting people under 18 to help lower disease rates and healthcare costs.Key Facts
- Liver disease causes 284,000 deaths yearly in Europe.
- 215,000 people die from liver cirrhosis, often linked to alcohol, and 69,400 from liver cancer every year in Europe.
- Experts want much higher taxes on alcohol and junk food to cover health, social, and justice system costs.
- Alcohol products should have health warnings, and ads aimed at under-18s should be banned.
- Four main causes of liver deaths are alcohol, poor diet, obesity, and viral hepatitis.
- Reducing risky behaviors like heavy drinking and unhealthy eating could halve liver disease rates.
- Suggested alcohol tax increases could raise prices significantly, similar to Scotland’s pricing rules.
- Industry groups suggest promoting responsible drinking instead of large tax hikes.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.