A study in Italy analyzed how drinking habits affected mortality in Italy from 1980 to 1990 by applying alcohol-related disease statistics from medical literature to national mortality data. In 1990, alcohol caused 18,033 deaths, or 3.3% of all deaths, with a notable gender gap favoring higher male mortality. These deaths contributed to over 200,000 years of potential life lost before age 70, showing alcohol’s significant public health burden. Chronic diseases were the primary contributors, responsible for 65% of alcohol-related deaths. Both male and female alcohol-related death rates decreased over the decade, but there were clear regional differences in mortality rates. The study also suggests that health consequences from alcohol, particularly liver damage, may be influenced by factors beyond just alcohol intake, and it calls for improved methods to better estimate alcohol-attributable deaths.