1. Globally, alcohol consumption has increased in recent decades, with all or most of that increase in developing countries. This increase is often occurring in countries with few methods of prevention, control or treatment. The rise in alcohol consumption in developing countries provides ample cause for concern over the possible rise in alcohol related problems in those regions of the world. There is increasing evidence that besides volume of alcohol, the pattern of the drinking is relevant for the health outcomes. Overall, there is a causal relationship between alcohol consumption and more than 60 types of disease and injury. Worldwide alcohol costs 2.5 million death, 3.8% of total. The burden is not equally distributed among all the countries.

2. Traditional medicine is the sum total of knowledge, skills and practices based on the theories, beliefs and experiences indigenous to different cultures that are used to maintain health, as well as to prevent, diagnose or treat physical and mental illnesses. Traditional medicine that has been adopted by other populations (outside its indigenous culture) is often termed alternative or complementary medicine. Herbal medicines include herbs, herbal preparations, and finished herbal products that contain parts of plants as active ingredients. In some Asian and African countries, 80% of the population depend on traditional medicine for primary health care. In many developed countries, 70% to 80% of the population has used some form of alternative or complementary medicine, such as acupuncture.