CDC Data on Alcohol-Attributable Deaths
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), between 2011 and 2015 there were 93.296 alcohol-attributable deaths each year. Alcohol use continues to be a leading cause of preventable death in the United States. While California had the highest number of alcohol-attributable deaths, New Mexico had the highest alcohol-related death rate per 100,000 population at 52.3. California’s age-adjusted alcohol-attributable deaths per 100,000 population was 26.9 which was just under the national average of 27.4.
Other states with high alcohol-related deaths when adjusted for population include:
- Arizona (37.0)
- Colorado (32.5)
- Florida (29.8)
- Idaho (29.5)
- Kentucky (32.3)
- Louisiana (31.5)
- Montana (37.4)
- Nevada (34.6)
- Oklahoma (36.4)
- Oregon (33.5)
- South Carolina (31.4)
- Tennessee (30.0)
- West Virginia (35.3)
Males between the ages of 35 and 64 were substantially more likely to die from alcohol-related causes.
As stated by the CDC, excessive drinking is associated “with numerous health and social problems.” An average of 255 Americans dies per day because of excessive drinking and lose an average of 29 years of life. Drinking excessively not only affects the individual but also their family and the community. Costs associated with excessive alcohol use are over $200 billion. Alcohol can not only lead to catastrophic health issues but can also impact a person’s ability to hold a job and provide support for their family.
One of the most pervasive problems associated with alcohol use is driving under the influence. The CDC estimates that an average of 29 people dies every day because of an alcohol-impaired driver. In 2016 alone, over 10,000 people died in alcohol-impaired driving crashes accounting for just under 30 percent of all traffic-related fatalities.
The most important thing is to seek help if you are unable to moderate your drinking and to never get behind the wheel of a car while impaired.