11 Facts About Alcohol Abuse

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1. Every year in the U.S., roughly 5,000 people under the age of 21 die from an alcohol-related incident including car crashes, homicides, suicides, alcohol poisoning and other related injuries.^[National Institutes of Health. "Underage Drinking." National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). Accessed February 26, 2014, http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/special-populations-co-occurring-disorders/underage-drinking.]
2. Alcohol is a substance that impairs judgement when consumed and can lead to drinking and driving, unintended sexual activity, violence or other dangerous behaviors.^[National Research Council (US) and Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Developing a Strategy to Reduce and Prevent Underage Drinking; Bonnie RJ, O'Connell ME, editors. Reducing Underage Drinking: A Collective Responsibility. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2004. 3, Consequences of Underage Drinking. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK37591/. Accessed February 27, 2014.]
3. Men are consistently more likely than women to drink in excess and are 2 times more likely to be involved in a fatal alcohol-related car accident. Offer to be the designated driver for your parents and loved ones to ensure that everybody makes it home safe. Sign up for Parents Ride Shotty.^[USA.gov. "Fact Sheets - Excessive Alcohol Use and Risks to Men's Health." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed February 27, 2014, http://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/fact-sheets/mens-health.htm.]
4. 70% of 18-year-olds admit to drinking an alcoholic beverage at least once, while 80% of college-aged students report consuming alcohol.^[National Institutes of Health. "Underage Drinking." National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). Accessed February 26, 2014, http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/special-populations-co-occurring-disorders/underage-drinking.]
5. Binge drinking is when a large amount of alcohol is consumed in a short period of time. For men, this is 5 or more drinks within 2 hours, and for women, 4 or more.^[Standridge, JB.; Zylstra, RG.; Adams, SM. (Jul 2004). "Alcohol consumption: an overview of benefits and risks.". South Med J 97 (7): 664–72. doi:10.1097/00007611-200407000-00012. PMID 15301124.]
6. 18 to 34-year-olds binge drink the most. Binging can lead to unplanned pregnancy, car accidents, spread of sexually transmitted disease, violence or alcohol dependence.^[USA,gov. "Fact Sheets - Binge Drinking." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed February 26, 2014, http://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/fact-sheets/binge-drinking.htm.]
7. 2/3 of the high school-age students who drink do so to the point of intoxication.^[National Institutes of Health. "Underage Drinking." National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). Accessed February 26, 2014, http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/special-populations-co-occurring-disorders/underage-drinking.]
8. Approximately 17% of men and 8% of women will be dependent on alcohol in their lifetime.^[National Institutes of Health. "ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUGS." National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) Publications. Accessed February 26, 2014, http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/AA76/AA76.htm.]
9. There are roughly 80,000 deaths that are related to alcohol abuse every year, making it the 3rd highest cause of death in the U.S.^[USA.gov. "Fact Sheets- Alcohol Use and Health." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed February 25, 2014, http://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/fact-sheets/alcohol-use.htm.]
10. Alcohol abuse can lead to long-term health issues like cardiovascular disease, cancer of the throat, liver, or mouth, anxiety and depression, dementia, liver disease and much more.^[USA.gov. "Fact Sheets- Alcohol Use and Health." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed February 25, 2014, http://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/fact-sheets/alcohol-use.htm.]
11. Alcohol poisoning is a short-term consequence of drinking in excess which can cause a loss of consciousness, coma, or death.^[USA.gov. "Fact Sheets- Alcohol Use and Health." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed February 25, 2014, http://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/fact-sheets/alcohol-use.htm.]