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Pillars of health

Alcohol and tobacco

No level of alcohol is safe for health: the risk starts from the first drop. This is the position of the WHO Regional Office for Europe, published in 2023.

Level: Mind · Clarity of mindOfficial position · WHO Regional Office for Europe, 2023 (opens in a new tab)

What science says

  1. Alcohol causes at least seven types of cancer, including bowel cancer and female breast cancer.

    Official positionWHO Regional Office for Europe, 2023 (opens in a new tab)

  2. In 2019 alcohol caused about 2.6 million deaths worldwide: 6.7% of all deaths among men and 2.4% among women.

    Global estimateWorld Health Organization, 2024 (opens in a new tab)

  3. Tobacco kills more than 7 million people a year, including over 1.6 million non-smokers exposed to second-hand smoke.

    Global estimateWorld Health Organization, 2026 (opens in a new tab)

  4. The body responds fast: 20 minutes after the last cigarette heart rate and blood pressure drop, after 12 hours the carbon monoxide level in the blood falls back to the usual, after 2–12 weeks circulation and lung function improve.

    Official positionWorld Health Organization, 2020 (opens in a new tab)

  5. After a year the risk of coronary heart disease is about half that of a smoker, after 10 years the risk of lung cancer is about half, after 15 years the risk of coronary heart disease is that of a non-smoker.

    Official positionWorld Health Organization, 2020 (opens in a new tab)

The anchor

  • Alcohol: there is no safe dose — according to WHO Europe, the risk starts from the first drop.[1] Source
  • Tobacco: zero. The benefit of quitting starts within the first 20 minutes.[4] Source
  • Other people’s smoke counts too: there is no safe level of it — a smoke-free home and car.[3] Source

How to start

Three small steps for this week.

  1. Mark alcohol-free days in your calendar this week and notice how you sleep and how the morning feels.
  2. Change the ritual, not only the drink: an evening walk, a sauna, board games with friends.
  3. Quitting smoking or drinking less alone is hard — it is worth talking to your GP, who knows what help is available nearby.

Important. If alcohol is a daily thing, a plan to stop is worth making with a doctor rather than starting alone.

Try it nearby

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Sources

  1. 1No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (opens in a new tab) — WHO Regional Office for Europe, 2023
  2. 2Alcohol — fact sheet (opens in a new tab) — World Health Organization, 2024
  3. 3Tobacco — fact sheet (opens in a new tab) — World Health Organization, 2026
  4. 4Tobacco: health benefits of smoking cessation (opens in a new tab) — World Health Organization, 2020