Cited by 192Substance Abuse Treatment and OutcomesAlcohol Consumption and Health EffectsGlobal Public Health Policies and Epidemiology

A systematic review of the epidemiology of unrecorded alcohol consumption and the chemical composition of unrecorded alcohol

Rehm, Jürgen, Kailasapillai, Shalini, Larsen, Elisabeth, Rehm, Maximilien X., Samokhvalov, Andriy V., Shield, Kevin D., Roerecke, Michael, Lachenmeier, Dirk W.·2014·Addiction

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Unrecorded alcohol constitutes about 30% of all alcohol consumed globally. The aims of this systematic review were to determine the epidemiology (occurrence, types, prevalence) of unrecorded alcohol consumption in different countries/regions, analyse the chemical composition of unrecorded alcohol and examine health outcomes caused by the consumption of unrecorded alcohol, based on either epidemiology or toxicology. METHODS: A systematic search for, and qualitative analysis of, papers with empirical results on the different categories of unrecorded alcohol, based on Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. RESULTS: Unrecorded alcohol was widespread in all regions of the world. Artisanal fermented beverages and spirits were the most common categories of unrecorded alcohol globally, and were available on all continents. In India, industrially produced spirits (country spirits) were most prevalent. In Russia and countries of the former Soviet Union, surrogate alcohols complemented artisanal spirits. Cross-border shopping was the most prevalent method of obtaining unrecorded alcohol in parts of Europe. Ethanol was the most harmful ingredient of unrecorded alcohol, and health consequences due to other ingredients found in unrecorded alcohol were scarce. However, as unrecorded alcohol is usually the least expensive form of alcohol available in many countries, it may contribute to higher rates of chronic and irregular heavy drinking. CONCLUSIONS: Very large amounts of alcohol are produced globally that go unrecorded. The primary harm from this kind of alcohol arises from the fact that it is typically much cheaper than licit alcohol.

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Crossref · 10.1111/add.12498

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  • The overall conclusion of relevant reviews has been that there is not sufficient evidence to link a sizable portion of liver cirrhosis mortality to unrecorded alcohol.

    “the overall conclusion of relevant reviews has been that there is not sufficient evidence to link a sizable portion of liver cirrhosis mortality to unrecorded alcohol (290, 291; see also 292).”

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Authors
Rehm, J., Kailasapillai, S., Larsen, E., Rehm, M. X., Samokhvalov, A. V., Shield, K. D., Roerecke, M., & Lachenmeier, D. W.
Affiliations
  • Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CA)
  • Toronto Metropolitan University (CA)
  • Chemisches und Veterinäruntersuchungsamt Karlsruhe (DE)
Corresponding author
Rehm, Jürgen
Venue
Addiction
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2014-03-03
Volume
109
Issue
6
Pages
880-893
ISSN
0965-2140 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2162137670
Cited by
192
References
183
Citations by year
2026: 10 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 24 · 2020: 23 · 2019: 13 · 2018: 24 · 2017: 22 · 2016: 16 · 2015: 21 · 2014: 5
FWCI
2.85
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Addiction (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pathology and Forensic Medicine › Alcohol Consumption and Health Effects
  • Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management › Global Public Health Policies and Epidemiology
Keywords
unrecorded alcohol, illicit alcohol, artisanal spirits, fermented beverages, cross-border shopping, ethanol, heavy drinking, alcohol prices
MeSH terms
Alcohol Drinking, Ethanol, Alcoholic Beverages, Canada, Cross-Sectional Studies, Cross-Cultural Comparison, Data Collection, Humans, Risk Assessment, Alcohol-Related Disorders, Internationality

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