Cigarettes have a higher death toll globally (8 million vs. 3 million deaths annually). However, alcohol has a broader range of social and mental health-related harms beyond direct health impacts.
Alcohol imposes a larger economic cost globally ($2.1 trillion vs. $1.4 trillion), primarily due to its broader social impacts beyond health care.
Alcohol has a much broader social impact than cigarettes, especially in terms of violence, accidents, and family disruptions.