A REPORT published today shows how alcohol causes 29 deaths every week in Wales - around 1 in 20 of all deaths.

The shocking figures are among the problems highlighted by a report, Alcohol and health in Wales 2014, published today by the Public Health Wales Observatory.

The report tells how most of the deaths result from long-term drinking and its role in increasing the risk of some cancers, cardio-vascular disease and other illnesses.

The impact of alcohol on health is also creates enormous pressure on the health system. Every week our hospitals handle as many as 1,000 alcohol-related admissions.

Professor Mark Bellis, Director of Policy, Research and Development at Public Health Wales, said: “While we are making progress, this new report shows much more is still to be done if we are to reduce the avoidable harms that alcohol causes to communities across Wales.

“We need to help people make the right choices about their own drinking. Too many drinkers fail to recognise how even moderate drinking can increase their risks of developing diseases such as cancer. The normalisation of drinking at a young age is also especially harmful and our problems with alcohol must be tackled early in life.”

Andrea Gartner, project lead for the report, added: “This new report provides a comprehensive analysis of alcohol consumption patterns and the impact of alcohol on health. It will provide stakeholders with the necessary information to inform action and drive change.”