Alcohol consumption in Poland is steadily increasing, leading to tens of thousands of premature deaths and socio-economic costs amounting to billions of zlotys annually. “In Poland, alcohol is becoming cheaper relative to our income, and its price is not keeping up with economic growth. The higher the economic availability, the higher the consumption. In my opinion, alcohol is absurdly cheap,” says Dr. habil. Łukasz Balwicki, the national consultant for public health. He believes a comprehensive change in tax policy is necessary to make alcohol a less economically accessible substance.
“Alcohol cannot continue to be treated with the same level of social acceptance as before. It is a substance with confirmed toxicity, and every dose of alcohol has a harmful effect on the body. Therefore, we should redefine our approach and perhaps treat alcohol the same way we do nicotine. If we want to prevent people from starting smoking or using tobacco products, we should adopt a similar stance on alcohol, recognizing it as a toxin that we should limit, discourage consumption of, and encourage people to reduce their intake. The epidemiological situation is dramatic,” says Dr. habil. Łukasz Balwicki, professor at the Medical University of Gdańsk and national consultant for public health, in an interview with Newseria.
According to the World Health Organization, alcohol is one of the leading health risk factors. Its abuse contributes to chronic diseases, including cancers, heart disease, liver and pancreas disorders, physical deterioration, and mental illnesses. It is also linked to traffic accidents, suicides, domestic violence, unemployment, and poverty. The socio-economic costs of alcohol abuse were estimated at 93.3 billion zlotys in a 2021 report by the State Agency for Solving Alcohol Problems (now the National Center for Addiction Prevention). This sum includes the costs of premature mortality (over 220,000 premature deaths from 2002 to 2017), hospitalizations, healthcare expenses, the justice system (handling alcohol-related cases by police, prosecutors, and courts), and lost economic benefits due to reduced productivity among individuals affected by alcoholism. Despite excise tax increases on alcohol in recent years, tax revenues remain only a fraction of these costs.
“The low price of alcohol significantly contributes to both regular consumption, which leads to addiction and alcoholism, and occasional overuse. Promotions and low prices encourage people to buy more than they actually need,” says the national public health consultant.
He points out that alcohol prices have not kept pace with economic growth and rising wages, increasing its economic availability. This is confirmed by a report from the National Center for Addiction Prevention, which states that the economic availability of alcoholic beverages in Poland has been rising steadily for years. In 2022, an average monthly salary could buy nearly 140% more half-liter bottles of vodka or beer than in 2002 (“Addictions in Poland” report, KCPU 2023).
“The evidence is clear: the higher the economic availability—meaning how much alcohol we can buy with our salary—the higher the consumption. Data shows that alcohol in Poland is becoming cheaper relative to our earnings. This is directly linked to consumption and alcohol-related diseases. So, alcohol is definitely too cheap; in my opinion, it is absurdly cheap. We should consider a comprehensive change in the tax system to make alcohol a less economically accessible substance,” emphasizes Professor Balwicki.
He stresses that Poland does not take health risk factors, which can be prevented, seriously enough.
“We tend to focus on treatment and hospital funding, while smoking and alcohol consumption are often seen as areas where the state should not interfere due to economic or personal freedoms. However, evidence clearly shows that, as a state and as a system, we should not create incentives for people to engage in dangerous addictions and use toxic substances. Alcohol and nicotine are such substances and should be treated as such under the law. They must be subject to strict regulations,” says Professor Łukasz Balwicki.
The expert argues that a comprehensive approach is necessary, including strict enforcement of alcohol sales and advertising regulations, as well as prevention and broad public education about its harmful effects. However, informational campaigns alone will not be effective unless supported by concrete legal changes.
“If we do not change taxes, limit advertising, and only launch a campaign stating that alcohol is harmful, it will not be effective. Experience from different countries shows that educational campaigns—whether about nicotine or alcohol—must be part of a broader strategic initiative and overall systemic change. If we tell children in schools that alcohol is harmful while they see advertisements and price incentives in every store, then the money spent on education is wasted,” says the national public health consultant.
According to WHO data from 2023, the average Polish adult consumes about 11 liters of pure alcohol per year, placing Poland above the European average (“Global Status Report on Alcohol and Health and Treatment of Substance Use Disorders”). The National Center for Addiction Prevention reports that in 2021, the average per capita consumption of pure alcohol in Poland was 9.7 liters—3 liters higher than 20 years ago.
Statistics from the Polish Economic Institute also show that consumption of beer, wine, and spirits has been steadily increasing for several years. In 2021, the consumption of spirits returned to 1993 levels, when the per capita consumption was 3.8 liters. Overall, strong alcohol consumption in Poland has been rising for 20 years.
“Lithuania has shown that alcohol consumption can be effectively reduced through restrictions on availability and advertising bans. Poland should learn from these experiences,” suggests Professor Łukasz Balwicki.
