We are deeply saddened and concerned to learn that 1,185 people died from an alcohol-specific death in 2024.

This number is not enough to fully capture the harm alcohol does in our society – not just to the person, but to their families and communities. Unlike other drugs, alcohol is so enmeshed in our culture, in our society, and our economy that there seems to be more acceptance of that harm and of these tragic deaths.

For a person experiencing problematic use, it may play a similar part in their lives as any other drug would, and that problematic use may be driven by many of the same issues – issues like trauma, mental ill health and deprivation.

There are different views on how best to respond to alcohol-related harm. Some advocate for a distinct, alcohol-specific approach and services, while others see value in combined alcohol and other drug services. Both perspectives can offer something important, but in our experience, people are less concerned about what a service is for – it’s the support they get and the way they are treated that’s important.

We need to do more to reduce problematic alcohol use and to prevent associated harm for people and communities. We have set out some of the policy actions that we think could help here – but let’s not lose sight of the shared experiences and the common drivers that we can support people to address as they work towards what they want to achieve.