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'34,000 alcohol-related hospital admissions'

The Welsh Government says 34,000 hospital admissions caused by alcohol misuse every year cost the Welsh NHS £109m annually.

Statistics released last month for alcohol-related deaths showed there were 467 deaths in Wales in 2013. Credit: Ian West/PA Wire

Deputy Minister Health Minister Vaughan Gething says figures show more then 4 out of 10 adults in Wales report drinking more than the recommended guideline amount of alcohol at least once in the last week.

Statistics released last month for alcohol-related deaths showed there were 467 deaths in Wales in 2013.

The Welsh Government says it will invest almost £50m in 2015-16 in initiatives to tackle the harms associated with both alcohol and drug misuse.

"Alcohol misuse is leading to a range of well-evidenced health and social harms, particularly for the significant minority of people who drink to excess and do not recognise the harm they are doing to themselves and others.

While there has been an overall downward decline in the number of alcohol-related deaths in Wales since 2008, that people die as a result of consuming too much alcohol is still a stark reminder of the challenges we still face in tackling the causes and impact of substance misuse."

– Vaughan Gething AM, Deputy Health Minister