France's alcohol consumption is falling but not its alarming toll of alcohol-related deaths.
During the 1960s France consumed more alcohol per head than any other country. It has since fallen to 6th place as consumption per head has dropped by more than half. However,despite this the alcohol-related death rate in France is one of the highest in the EU with the male death rate some 30% above the European average.
Alcohol remains France’s second leading cause of preventable death (after tobacco) and is the cause of 14% of male deaths (compared to 3% of female deaths).
Some 13 million people in France consume alcohol of which 5 million are estimated to be alcohol-dependent.
