How much do alcohol-related problems cost?

To date, there has been no study of the net cost of alcohol-related problems in developing countries. In the past several years, however, research has begun m examine the prevalence of alcohol related problems in developing countries (See Section IV, Evidence from developing countries, (1990), Galvis and Murrelle (1990), and Obot (1990)) which could later form the basis of cost studies. Although, lithe attempt has been made to analyze the impact of these problems on society and the household, it is now widely accepted that alcohol misuse is an important correlate of a wide range of accidents, illnesses and law enforcement problems. The question that remains is, what is the cost of these problems to society and what can be done to mitigate the effects, both social and economic. This section will highlight a few of the social and economic costs of alcohol abuse and provide several estimates of the cost of alcohol-related problems in developed countries, while the next section will discuss the interventions available to government.