Moderate alcohol use — up to two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women and older people — is not harmful for most adults. Currently, nearly 14 million Americans — one in every 13 adults — abuse alcohol or are alcoholic. Several million more adults engage in risky drinking that could lead to alcohol problems. These patterns include binge drinking and heavy drinking on a regular basis. In addition, 53 percent of men and women in the United States report that one or more of their close relatives have a drinking problem. Excessive alcohol use is a significant public health concern in the United States, causing approximately 178,000 deaths annually.
Age Groups & Alcohol Use
Alcohol-related deaths in Kansas are slightly more likely to involve males and underage drinkers. Alaska has the nation’s second-highest number of alcohol-related deaths per capita. Learn more about the financial impact of alcohol misuse in the United States. In general, the most effective interventions in CollegeAIM represent a range of counseling options and policies related to sales and access. After analyzing alcohol problems at their own schools, officials can use the CollegeAIM ratings to find the best combination of interventions for their students and unique circumstances.
Top 5 Alcohol and Beverage Trends for 2025
Also, it is recorded that the total yearly expenses involved in alcohol-related car crashes go beyond $44 billion, while over $4 billion worth of funds goes towards fetal alcohol syndrome. On average, substance abuse costs approximately 15% of all healthcare costs in the country. However, through public health initiatives, stricter regulations, and better access to treatment, we can make alcohol use disorder less harmful and improve individuals’ health around the world. Death from excessive alcohol use is on the rise in Colorado, catching up to national averages, and the rate of binge Alcoholism Statistics drinkers is high.
Alcohol use disorder vs. average alcohol intake
All visualizations, data, and code produced by Our World in Data are completely open access under the Creative Commons BY license. You have the permission to use, distribute, and reproduce these in any medium, provided the source and authors are credited. Whilst the World Health Organization (WHO) and most national guidelines typically quantify one unit of alcohol as equal to 10 grams of pure alcohol, the metric used as a ‘standard measure’ can vary across countries. The total estimated number of deaths by country from 1990 to 2019 is found here. Here, we see particularly high levels of alcohol abstinence across North Africa and the Middle East. In most countries in this region, the majority of adults have never drunk alcohol.
What Is Americans’ Drink of Choice?
- Heavy episodic drinking is defined as the proportion of adult drinkers who have had at least 60 grams or more of pure alcohol on at least one occasion in the past 30 days.
- Historical trauma, experienced collectively by a group over time, has been shown to increase risk for substance abuse.
- Relatedly, drinking also differs by education, with college graduates (76%) and postgraduates (75%) the most likely to report they drink.
Drugs that are considered “gateway drugs” (that is, substances that are often precursors to abuse of other, possibly more dangerous drugs) or deemed a public health risk may also be listed under Schedule I. Non-sanctioned, non-medical, or non-prescribed use of these controlled substances is considered drug abuse, often leading to Substance Use Disorder (SUD). These substances are likely to create physical or psychological dependence, contributing to concurrent mental health conditions such as Any Mental Illness (AMI) and Major Depressive Episode (MDE).
28% of people used two or more substances in combination or on the same occasion in the previous 12 months. Psychedelics were the most common illegal substance used, followed by cocaine or crack, and ecstasy or similar designer drugs. Insurance coverage profoundly influences whether individuals can afford or even seek out treatment. The financial toll of addiction is massive, driving healthcare expenditures, productivity losses, and criminal justice costs.
- The future offers an opportunity to craft a more unified response that moves the needle on one of the country’s most enduring public health crises.
- When deciding betweendetoxing at homeversus at amedical center or rehab facility, respondents ranked safety and comfort as their top two factors.
- Fueled by shifting economic pressures, new global tastes, and a paradigm shift in Americans’ relationship with alcohol, the beverage landscape is rapidly evolving.
- New Jersey has the second-lowest number of alcohol-related deaths per capita (Utah has the lowest).
Key Statistics at a Glance
- During 2018, 1 in 20 adults (5.1%) aged 18 and over engaged in heavy drinking.
- Alaska has the nation’s second-highest number of alcohol-related deaths per capita.
- And of course, no contemporary round-up of NA drinks would be complete without a mention of dirty soda, the creamy soda-based concoctions that have taken social media by storm.
However, we often assume that nearly everybody drinks alcohol—but statistically, that just isn’t true. Alcohol-related deaths increased among all age groups (during 2020–2021) from just a few years earlier (2016–2017). A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. Pennsylvania’s alcohol-related deaths are marijuana addiction less likely to be due to chronic causes. Alcohol-related deaths in Idaho are more likely to be older, chronic alcohol users.
Environmental-level strategies target the campus community and student body as a whole. They are designed to change the campus and community environments where student drinking occurs. Often, a major goal is to reduce the availability of alcohol because research shows that reducing alcohol availability cuts consumption and harmful consequences on campuses as well as in the general population.
Alcohol was the most commonly used substance of interest in the past 12 months, followed by cannabis, then sedatives, opioids, and cigarettes. There’s a lot you may not know about this popular substance that’s found in some of your favorite cocktails, liquors, beers, and wines. We’ll fill you in on 30 facts and five myths about this often-celebratory substance consumed in many cultures around the world. Robust insurance coverage – particularly Medicaid expansion – correlates with higher treatment uptake.