The 2021 Global Drug Survey has just been released. The survey depicts the countries where people report most alcohol intoxication as well as most alcohol using days.
The survey is not a representative sample.
In 2021, respondents from Australia reported most alcohol intoxicated days in the year. Respondents from France reported the most alcohol consuming days within the year.

The latest Global Drug Survey for the year 2021 shows the countries where people report most alcohol intoxication as well as most alcohol using days.

The Global Drug Survey is based in London and started in 2012. Using anonymous online research methods the Global Drug Survey runs an annual survey in 10 languages, which is hosted by partners in over 20 countries. It is one of the largest surveys on alcohol and other drug use in the world. But the survey is not representative.

The 2021 version of the survey collected data from 32,022 people across 22 countries and was published in 11 languages. Data was collected between December, 2020 and March, 2021. The data collected refers to the use of alcohol, cannabis and other drugs internationally. According to the report, survey data was collected exclusively from anonymous online users with rates of drug usage higher than the general population.

Key findings of the 2021 Global Drug Survey

Following is the list of countries ranked according to the number of times within the year the survey respondents of the respective countries reported being alcohol intoxicated:

  1. Australia: 26.7,
  2. Denmark: 23.8,
  3. Finland: 23.8,
  4. United States: 23.1,
  5. United Kingdom: 22.5,
  6. Canada: 22,
  7. Ireland: 20,
  8. France: 17.5,
  9. Sweden: 16, and
  10. Netherlands: 15.7.

On average respondents have gotten intoxicated by alcohol about 30% less than in the previous year, according to the survey’s CEO, Adam Winstock. However, not all countries fared well.

Most times intoxicated by alcohol in the year: Australia

Australia topped the chart as the country where people got intoxicated on alcohol the most, with respondents reporting this at-risk level consumption behavior 26.7 (27) times in the year. This translates to being intoxicated with alcohol about twice a month.

26.7
Times a year Australians were intoxicated with alcohol
According to the Global Drug Survey 2021, Australia topped the chart as the country where people got intoxicated on alcohol the most with respondents reporting this at-risk level consumption behavior 26.7 (27) times in the year.

This rate is almost double that of the 15 times a year in 2020 for Australia.

Almost a quarter of the Australians reported feeling regret after being intoxicated with alcohol.

Australians also sought emergency care for their alcohol use three times more often than the global average (3.9% compared with the global average of 1.2%).

There’s an emerging picture [that] there is a significant proportion of people who are [using alcohol] at riskier levels … to cope with stress and anxiety,” said Caterina Giorgi, chief executive of the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education, as per The Guardian.

Those habits are hard to undo as we continue to live in this Covid environment.”

Caterina Giorgi, chief executive, Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education

According to FARE there had been a $3.3bn increase in alcohol sales into people’s homes in 2020 – a trend continuing in 2021.

As Movendi International reported previously, amidst the ongoing pandemic, alcohol related deaths increased by 8.3% in 2020 compared to 2019 according to data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). For the first time in four years, the number of Australians who use alcohol has increased in 2020. Not only that, alcohol related ambulance callouts have also increased by 9%.

The onslaught of alcohol marketing by Big Alcohol that Australians are exposed to routinely is a major reason for the rising alcohol use during the pandemic leading to the rising death toll and other harms caused by alcohol products.

A report, released last year by the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education, found that people in Australia were exposed to an alcohol advertisement every 35 seconds on Facebook and Instagram during the pandemic.

Australia and COVID-19: Alcohol Deaths Increased During Pandemic

The most number of days consuming alcohol: France

The study analyzed the number of days people consumed alcohol as well. Here, France tops the list with French people consuming alcohol on 132 days of the year or roughly 3 days every week.

132
Alcohol using days among French people
According to the Global Drugs Survey 2021, French people top the list for the most alcohol consumption days per year, with 132 days.

As Movendi International has previously reported, the pervasive alcohol norm in France could be the reason for French people consuming this much alcohol during the year. France has a high burden of alcohol caused by the pervasive alcohol norm which is fueled by the alcohol industry.

Alcohol remains the second largest cause of preventable death in France behind tobacco. It caused 7% or 41,000 of the total 580,000 deaths in France in 2015.

41,000
Lives lost due to alcohol in 2015
Inserm reports, 41,000 deaths or 7% of all deaths in 2015 were caused by the products and practices of the alcohol industry. This makes alcohol the second leading cause for preventable death.
Understanding France’s Alcohol Burden: High Alcohol Mortality Requires Urgent Action

Sources

Yahoo News: “These were the world’s drunkest countries in 2021, according to a new study“

The Guardian: “‘Risky levels’: Australia is the drunkest country in the world, survey finds“