In 2014, 44 people died in Portugal from alcohol overdose, twice as many as died from drug overdoses on cocaine or heroin.
"Alcohol overdoses numbered more than those due to drug use. In 2014 there were 44. The most prevalent age group was 45-54-year-olds and below" said drug doctor Manuel Cardoso, who confessed a mix of surprise and shock at the new data.
In 2013, a report into drug addiction recorded 22 deaths from drug overdose, especially opiates (46% of cases), followed by cocaine (36%) and methadone (27%).
In the two previous years the trend was similar: in 2012 there were 29 overdoses from illegal drugs and in 2011 there were 19.
Although consumption is easing off, Portugal is still near the top in the highest per capita drinkers league.
Alcohol abuse brings a high price as in road accidents 15% of deaths are attributed to alcohol, in cases of violence, 22%, for suicides and self-inflicted suffering 21% are attributed to alcohol.
In liver disease, alcohol is responsible for 50% and for 30% of cancers of the mouth and pharynx.
Portugal's alcohol law was changed in 2015 to ban the sale of alcohol to under 18-year-olds but Manuel Cardoso explained that you can’t expect immediate changes in consumption patterns, but that he expects to see results within three to four years as the new age limit works its way through.
Alcohol is considered by the World Health Organization as one of the five major risk factors for death or disease.
