More than 95,000 people die each year in the United States as a result of excessive alcohol consumption, as reported by the CDC. Wisconsin was in the top 10 percentile states for excessive drinking based on 2018 data reported by the County Health Rankings and Roadmaps. This can be done by not keeping alcohol in the home, only drinking in specific places, or not allowing others to provide alcohol. Alcohol is a colorless liquid produced by the fermentation of yeast, sugars, and starches. Most alcohol consumed in the U.S. is beer or wine, but it can also be found in other alcoholic drinks, such as cocktails and liquor.

• Alcohol is the most commonly used substance in adolescents and young adults in the U.S., and the results are concerning.
• These statistics underscore the pervasive impact of alcoholism on individuals, families, and society at large.
• Pinpointing when individuals typically begin substance use underscores the need for early intervention strategies.
• Alcohol-related deaths in Kansas are slightly more likely to involve males and underage drinkers.
• There are a variety of physical, psychological, environmental, and genetic causes of alcohol use disorder.
• Withdrawal is the set of signs and symptoms that occur when a person stops consuming alcohol after a period of excessive drinking.

There are various different treatment options for alcohol addiction. These may include:

Global efforts to combat alcohol addiction have yielded measurable success through extensive prevention strategies and evidence-based policies. You’ll find that 76% of college students report past-year alcohol use compared to 69% of non-students, with campus norms driving these increased rates. Prevention programs targeting this demographic have shown mixed results, with the most effective initiatives reducing binge drinking rates by 20-30% through combined educational and environmental interventions. While alcohol consumption across the EU has declined by 2.9 liters per capita over four decades, significant regional disparities and concerning patterns persist in Europe’s drinking environment. Europe and Africa shoulder the heaviest burden, particularly in low-income regions where death rates per liter of alcohol consumed are markedly higher. However, health harms are much more pronounced in areas of high deprivation, even though average consumption is usually lower in these areas.

NIAAA supports and conducts research on the impact of alcohol use on human health and well-being. Among the study’s respondents, 72% detoxed from alcohol at home, and 28% did so at a rehab facility or medical center. When deciding betweendetoxing at homeversus at amedical center or rehab facility, respondents ranked safety and comfort as their top two drug addiction treatment factors. Arecent 2019 studyfound that adding an additional 3.61 years of schooling generally led to a 50% reduced risk of alcohol dependence. For teenagers, particularly in the pre-pubescent stage,alcohol can impact sex hormones and delay puberty.

Opioid statistics, 2025

• You’ll notice a clear progression in binge drinking trends across life demographics, starting with relatively low rates in youth and escalating dramatically during young adulthood.
• At the end of this topic page, you will find additional resources and guidance if you, or someone you know, needs support in dealing with alcohol dependency.
• Among the study’s respondents, 72% detoxed from alcohol at home, and 28% did so at a rehab facility or medical center.
• Excessive drinking increases the risk of developing an addiction to alcohol as well as numerous health problems, such as heart disease and liver damage.

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. Recovery from addiction is a journey that spans personal, social, and systemic challenges. The data reflect an urgent need to expand treatment capacity, tailor prevention for the most vulnerable demographics, and address the social determinants fueling substance abuse. This multifaceted approach includes everything from investing in youth programs and education to ensuring equitable insurance coverage for effective treatment modalities. Substance abuse data serve as an essential barometer for public health interventions and policy decisions.

Annual Alcohol-Related Deaths in Young People Under Age 21

Cultural norms reinforced by religious beliefs create protective factors, as you’re 2-3 times less likely to develop alcohol disorders if you’re actively religious. African nations’ statistics are increasingly worrying, though current data collection methods don’t yet match the systematic tracking seen in Europe and North America. These regional variations align with total consumption projections showing continued upward trends through 2025. You’ll find the highest prevalence rates in Eastern European nations, with Hungary leading at 21.2%, followed by Russia at 20.9% and Belarus at 18.8%. The United States has alarming female rates at 10.4%, the highest among women globally.

Youth and young adults were equally as likely as adults (13-14%) to have used sedatives in the past 12 months or have smoked a cigarette in the past 30 days (also 13-14%). Psychedelics were the most common illegal substance used, followed by cocaine or crack, and ecstasy or similar designer drugs. A figure describing the sampling design and impacts of the redesign from CADS 2019 to CSUS 2023. The method for contacting respondents was changed between CADS 2019 and CSUS 2023. The purpose of the change was to capture more respondents, particularly those aged 15 to 24. Travel refers to the ease, safety, and attractiveness of visiting a place for tourism or other purposes.

Men experience 3.3 times more alcohol-related deaths than women, though female mortality rates are rising 2.5 times faster. While only 7.2% of individuals access treatment, digital health innovations and policy changes suggest evolving solutions. Healthcare expenses made up 11% of the total cost, indicating that while direct medical care is expensive, the broader economic burden lies in indirect consequences. Government-funded programs bore a significant share, with around $2 out of every $5 (or 40%) of total costs falling on public resources, including Medicaid, Medicare, and law enforcement. Notably, 77% of all alcohol-related economic costs were linked to binge drinking, underscoring the urgent need to curb high-risk drinking behaviors through education, pricing strategies, and expanded access to treatment.

Binge drinking can cause health problems, vehicle accidents, alcohol poisoning, other preventable issues, and even deaths. Michigan has a slightly higher rate of alcohol-related deaths and female drinking deaths. Massachusetts has one of the nation’s lowest rates of under-21 alcohol-related drinking deaths. Kentucky is a statistical anomaly with a low rate of underage drinking deaths and a low rate of chronic causes.

Alcohol abuse statistics indicate some inequalities may be due to social conditioning. Discover how many people with alcohol use disorder in the United States receive treatment across age groups and demographics. Explore how many people ages 18 to 25 engage in alcohol misuse in the United States and the impact it has. Learn how many people ages 12 to 20 engage in underage alcohol misuse in the United States and the impact it has. High school completion, continuing education, and targeted prevention efforts in academic settings are thus integral to lowering lifetime addiction risk.

Top 10 Countries with the Highest Rates of Alcohol Use Disorder/Alcoholism (females)

• These figures reveal the need for geographically tailored public health interventions, especially in high-burden states where repeated binge episodes contribute disproportionately to alcohol-related harm.
• Understanding the common types of treatment can empower individuals to seek the level of care that suits their needs.
• The map shows DALYs per 100,000 people, which result from alcohol use disorders.
• The treatment market’s projected growth to USD 1.38 billion by 2032 reflects mounting urban challenges and increasing awareness.
• Men face a dramatically higher death toll from alcohol, dying at over three times the rate of women globally.

Drinking rituals have evolved, as flavored alcoholic beverages now dominate consumption patterns, reaching an unprecedented 80.8% usage in 2020. New data reveals three distinct stages of life where binge drinking reaches its peak intensity, with the cohort showing the highest rates at 34.2%, followed closely by stages at 33.2%. Young adults in the bracket represent the peak demographic for binge drinking, with nearly half (49.6%) reporting alcohol use in the past month and consumption patterns intensifying in college environments. Cultural acceptance and easy availability of alcohol across various regions are key contributing factors. European nations dominate global alcohol addiction statistics, with Hungary’s 21.2% prevalence rate leading worldwide, followed closely by Russia at 20.9% and Belarus at 18.8%. The alcohol rehab Czech Republic shows concerning trends with highest consumption levels of 12.9 liters per capita annually.

Medical Disclaimer

Societal norms around alcohol have shifted considerably, and one of the most notable changes is the narrowing gap between male and female drinking rates. Drinking alcohol while pregnant can be dangerous to the fetus and cause developmental issues in children. Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) are a group of conditions that can occur in people whose mothers drank alcohol while pregnant. Men are more likely to drink alcohol, become addicted to alcohol, binge drink, drink more often, and die of alcohol-related causes than women. Utah has the second-highest rate of female alcohol-related deaths and has the highest percentage of deaths due to acute causes.

Culturally rooted interventions like Proyecto Hombre offer family-centered treatment. Programs that include spirituality and address immigration-related trauma have higher retention rates. Meanwhile, portrayals of White drinking habits are likelier to be seen as humorous or charming (e.g., wine mom culture). For instance, motor vehicle accidents related to alcohol are a leading cause of death among teens and young adults, with nearly 10,000 alcohol-related car accident fatalities each year.