According to a new study, thousands of Australian lives can be saved, simply by cutting back on alcohol and cigarettes, including saving the economy over $2-billion in healthcare costs.

By reducing the 773-standard drinks per adult which is the average annual intake to 505 drinks a year can save 38-lives and $1.2-billion.

The Deakin University conducted study also found if Australians cut the current 23% rate of smoking to 15%, 5,000-deaths could be prevented and over $900-million in health, production and leisure costs saved.

The report co-author and Deakin University Health Economic Professor Rob Carter says is: ‘breaking new ground in developing a model that estimates the economic benefits of the home- based activities and leisure that are essential to our daily lives,’ with the financial savings benefitting families and workplaces.

‘Production and leisure includes the increased economic benefits from paid work (such as reduced absenteeism) plus unpaid, home-based activities, like caring for families, as well as leisure activities,’ Prof Carter said.

As well, the report says Australians are big drinkers, drinking more than Americans (over 660-standard drinks a year), Canadians (632), Swedes (520) and Norwegians (505). On average, Australians down 773-standard drinks a year, the equivalent of 703-pots of beer, 552-stubbies, 93-bottles of wine or 39-bottles of spirits i. e. each Australian drinks 9.8-litres of pure alcohol a year, more than Americans (8.4-litres), Canadians (8-litres), Swedes (6.6-litres) and Norwegians (6.4-litres).

VicHealth Chief Executive Todd Harper told a conference in Darwin that cutting drinking rates to 505-drinks a year and smoking to 15% were not only realistic targets , they would also bring massive benefits.

There would be 98,000 fewer new cases of alcohol-related disease each year, 21,000 fewer years lost to illness and death, 158,000 fewer annual new cases of tobacco-caused illness and
71,000 fewer years lost to illness and death from smoking.

According to him, Australia can meet the 15% smoking target already achieved by California, by following its lead by increasing tobacco prices, using the proceeds for Quit-style social marketing, and tightening smoke-free policies in public areas.

Further, the report says 13% of adults drink alcohol at risky or high-risk levels, adding 2.3% to the nation’s health burden, including consequences like alcohol dependence and road accidents.