10% of Greeks are Addicted to Alcohol

Consumption of spirits has become a problem for Greece, as 10 per cent of the country's population is completely dependent on alcohol, BNT reported. This percentage is considered to be high compared to other European countries, according to data from the World Health Organization. And they show regular alcohol consumption in the majority of the population of Greece.

According to the Greek psychiatrist Professor Atanasis Lousenis, every Greek has consumed an average of 10.3 liters of alcohol per year. About 40 per cent of Greeks consume alcohol regularly, almost 10 per cent are completely dependent, and a very small percentage are absolute abstainers, the professor says.

He also points out that when he started working many years ago, older colleagues, psychiatrists, told him that there was no problem with alcoholism in Greece, but now, he said, the alcohol problem is very serious.

In his words, de facto alcohol is cited as one of the leading causes of death in Greece along with cigarettes.

"I think there has always been a problem with alcohol not just now because of the crisis, it just has not been recognized," the professor said.