Christmas is a time for family, rest and reflection: when few people hit the web, read reports, and look at what is happening around them. This is why the timing of the UK’s Office for National Statistics (ONS) Alcohol-specific deaths in the UK: registered in 2021 probably meant little pick-up from mainstream media. However, the report contains disturbing facts which should be highlighted to all – it makes for a sobering read.

First, the analysis of deaths related to alcohol is based on internationally assigned codes, so there is little wriggle room for what follows: “Alcohol-specific deaths only include those health conditions where each death is a direct consequence of alcohol.”

Second, as the report’s authors note repeatedly, the figures are likely to be underestimated as they are specifically and directly related to alcohol consumption and do not consider the broader spectrum of alcohol-related pathologies.