Fact Sheet - Alcohol

 

• Heavy alcohol users face a six-fold greater risk of oral cancer as compared to non-alcohol users. [2002 data]

• Bad things often happen when you drink alcohol. Approximately 31% of those who die from unintentional, non-traffic injuries in the United States have a blood alcohol concentration of 0.10 g/dL [grams per deciliter] or greater.

 

• According to a report published in 2003, binge drinkers are 14 times more likely to report alcohol-impaired driving than non-binge drinkers.

• Excessive drinkers are four times more likely to develop esophageal cancer than nondrinkers.

 

• Parental alcohol or drug abuse is associated with nearly 50% of child abuse and neglect cases.

• Alcohol abuse and alcoholism cut across gender, race, and nationality. Nearly 14 million people in the United States, or approximately 1 in every 13 adults, abuse alcohol or are an alcoholic.

• Children of alcoholics are significantly more likely to initiate drinking during adolescence and to develop alcohol use disorders.

• The gap between alcohol use by boys and girls has closed. Among 9th graders, girls consume alcohol and binge drink at rates almost equal to boys. [2003 report]

• Approximately 96% of Americans are concerned about underage drinking, and a majority support measures that would help reduce teen drinking, such as stricter controls on alcohol sales, advertising, and promotion. [2001 data]

• In 1999, the average American drank 32 gallons of beer, 51 gallons of soft drinks, 24 gallons of milk, and 26 gallons of coffee.

 

• Wisconsin leads the nation in women of childbearing age (ages 19 to 44 years) who binge drink alcohol (19%). The national average is 12%.

• Heavy drinking and drug abuse among youth are linked to physical fights, destroyed property, job problems, school failure, delinquency, unwanted pregnancies, and transmission of sexually transmitted diseases. [1997 data]

• The Centers for Disease Control reports a 4-fold increase in the rate of frequent drinking among pregnant women between 1991 and 1995.

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