The Dominican Republic is included in the World Health Organization (WHO) global rankings on alcohol and health 2014. The status report presents a comprehensive overview of the global, regional and country alcohol consumption, drinking patterns, health consequences and policy responses in WHO member states. The report was launched in Geneva yesterday, Monday 12 May 2014 during the second meeting of the global network of WHO national counterparts for implementation of the global strategy to reduce the harmful use of alcohol.
The DR is listed with a 6.9 liters alcohol per capita consumption for people over the age of 15. This compares to Chile, the highest ranking country in the Americas with 9.6 liters per capita, Argentina (9.3), Venezuela (8.9), Paraguay (8.8), Brazil (8.7), Peru (8.1), Panama (8), Uruguay (7.6), and Ecuador and Mexico (7.2).
A breakdown of alcoholic beverages (2010) in 3% wine, 43% spirits and 54% beer.
The report states that the DR government has been lax in implementing policies to reduce local alcohol consumption. The policies and interventions to reduce alcohol consumption implemented by the Dominican government only include the excise tax, establishment of 18 years as a national legal minimum age for sales of alcoholic beverages and restrictions on sales of alcoholic beverages.
www.who.int/substance_abuse/publications/global_alcohol_report/en/