US Alcohol Poisoning Deaths: Statistics Say Six People Die Each Day
Alcohol poisoning kills six people each day. Source: CDC
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued some statistics on alcohol poisoning deaths in the U.S. The CDC report says that an average of 6 alcohol poisoning deaths every day.
Alcohol poisoning deaths are caused by drinking a large amount of alcohol in a short period of time. This can result in very high levels of alcohol in the body, which can shutdown critical areas of the brain that control breathing, heart rate, and body temperature – resulting in death.
Despite the risks, more than 38 million U.S. adults report binge drinking an average of four times per month and consume an average of eight drinks per binge. Binge drinking is defined as consuming four or more drinks for women and five or more drinks for men on an occasion. The more you drink, the greater your risk of death.
Key findings of CDC’s Vital Signs report include:
– There are more than 2,200 alcohol poisoning deaths in the U.S. each year – an average of 6 alcohol poisoning deaths every day.
– Three in four alcohol poisoning deaths involve adults ages 35-64, and most deaths occur among men.
– While the majority of deaths are among non-Hispanic whites, American Indians/Alaska Natives have the most alcohol poisoning deaths per million people.
– Deaths rates from alcohol poisoning vary widely across states, from 5.3 alcohol poisoning deaths per million residents in Alabama to 46.5 deaths per million residents in Alaska.
States and communities can take steps to reduce alcohol poisoning deaths by preventing binge drinking, including:
– Supporting proven programs and policies to decrease binge drinking. States with stronger alcohol policies have less binge drinking.
– Partnering with police, community groups, health departments, and doctors, nurses, and other health care providers to reduce binge drinking and related harms.
– Monitoring the role of alcohol in injuries and deaths.
CDC scientists analyzed deaths from alcohol poisoning among people aged 15 years and older, using multiple cause-of-death data from the National Vital Statistics System for 2010-2012. Alcohol dependence (alcoholism) was identified as a contributing factor in 30 percent of these deaths, and other drugs were noted to have been a factor in about 3 percent of the deaths. While this study reveals that alcohol poisoning deaths are a bigger problem than previously thought, it is still likely to be an underestimate.