Mason Delacroix
Alcohol is a harmful substance if not consumed properly. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), one person dies from alcohol-related causes every 10 seconds. This amounts to approximately 88,000 deaths per year, or about 178,000 when considering all alcohol-attributable deaths. Alcohol is the leading preventable cause of death in the United States, with excessive alcohol use causing various chronic conditions such as liver disease, heart disease, and cancer. Additionally, drunk-driving crashes account for a significant number of fatalities, with about 30% of all traffic crash deaths in the US involving drunk drivers. Alcohol use can also increase the risk of suicide and other mental health disorders. Overall, harmful alcohol consumption leads to addiction and puts individuals at risk of over 200 disorders, making it a significant global health concern.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of people who die from alcohol every 10 seconds | 1 |
| Number of people who die from alcohol every year | 88,000-178,000 |
| Number of people who die from alcohol every day | 241 |
| Number of people who die from alcohol every hour | 10 |
| Number of alcohol-related deaths that are from chronic conditions | 117,000 |
| Number of alcohol-related deaths that are from binge drinking or drinking too much on one occasion | 61,000 |
| Number of people killed in drunk-driving crashes in 2023 | 12,429 |
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What You'll Learn
Alcohol-related deaths: 3.3 million worldwide in 2012
Alcohol is a substance that can cause significant harm to those who consume it excessively. According to a 2014 report by the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 3.3 million people worldwide died from alcohol-related causes in 2012. This alarming figure translates into one alcohol-related death every 10 seconds. The report highlights the global impact of harmful alcohol consumption and the need for effective measures to reduce such incidents.
Alcohol consumption can lead to various health issues, including addiction and an increased risk of developing over 200 disorders. These disorders include tuberculosis, pneumonia, liver cirrhosis, and certain types of cancer. The impact of alcohol extends beyond the individual, as it also affects their community and loved ones. It is important to note that alcohol-related deaths are not limited to those caused solely by alcohol but also include deaths where alcohol is a contributing factor.
The WHO report revealed that men are more likely to experience alcohol-related deaths than women. However, it is concerning that alcohol consumption among women is on the rise, and they may be more vulnerable to specific alcohol-related health conditions. Additionally, low-income communities are at a greater risk of social and health complications related to alcohol. The report also indicated that Europe had the highest alcohol consumption per capita, while consumption levels in Africa and the Americas remained stable.
Alcohol-related deaths can occur through various mechanisms. One of the leading causes of alcohol-related fatalities is drunk-driving crashes. In the United States, about 34 people die each day in drunk-driving crashes, and in 2023, there were 12,429 alcohol-impaired driving traffic deaths. Alcohol-related crashes involving motorcycles are also a significant concern, with 26% of motorcycle operators killed in traffic crashes having a blood alcohol content above the legal limit.
Excessive alcohol consumption can lead to chronic conditions and acute alcohol poisoning, contributing to a significant number of deaths. In the United States, deaths from excessive alcohol use have been increasing over the past two decades, with a notable surge during the COVID-19 pandemic. The CDC reported that the average annual number of deaths from excessive alcohol use increased by 29.3% from 2016-2017 to 2020-2021. This rise in alcohol-related deaths underscores the urgency in implementing preventive measures and policies to address harmful alcohol consumption effectively.
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Alcohol-related disorders: over 200, including tuberculosis and pneumonia
Alcohol misuse is a leading preventable cause of death worldwide. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), one person dies from alcohol-related causes every 10 seconds. This translates to about 178,000 deaths per year from excessive drinking, with two-thirds of these deaths resulting from chronic conditions that develop over time and the remaining one-third from binge drinking or drinking too much on one occasion.
Alcohol misuse is associated with an increased risk of developing various disorders, including tuberculosis and pneumonia. Tuberculosis (TB) is a bacterial lung infection that can be life-threatening. It is spread through droplets of saliva or mucus when an infected person coughs or sneezes. While TB was once a rare disease in developed countries, rates have been on the rise since 1985, partly due to the correlation with the rise of HIV/AIDS.
Alcohol abuse increases the risk of contracting TB by damaging the immune system. This is particularly true for those with heavy alcohol consumption or alcohol-related problems, as their risk of contracting TB increases threefold. Additionally, alcohol abuse can cause harm to many parts of the body, leading to a cycle where those struggling with alcohol dependence continue drinking to ignore or temporarily alleviate symptoms instead of seeking medical treatment.
Pneumonia is also more prevalent among those with alcohol use disorder (AUD). Alcohol consumption alters the body's flora and impairs defensive mechanisms along the respiratory tract, making individuals more susceptible to infections. Chronic alcohol intake contributes to malnutrition, further breaking down local protective barriers in the respiratory tract. Patients with AUD often present with more severe cases of pneumonia and are at a higher risk of poor outcomes and increased mortality.
Overall, harmful alcohol use can lead to addiction and put individuals at a higher risk of developing over 200 disorders, including tuberculosis and pneumonia. The WHO aims for a voluntary global target of a 10% reduction in harmful alcohol use by 2025 to mitigate these adverse effects.
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Alcohol-impaired driving: 12,429 killed in 2023
Alcohol is a leading preventable cause of death, and excessive alcohol use can harm drinkers and those around them. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), harmful alcohol use leads to addiction and increases the risk of over 200 disorders, including tuberculosis and pneumonia. WHO estimates that one person dies every 10 seconds from alcohol-related causes.
In 2023, 12,429 people in the United States died in alcohol-impaired driving crashes. These traffic deaths were all preventable. On average, about 34 people in the United States died daily in drunk-driving crashes, which equates to one person every 42 minutes. Drunk driving is a dangerous crime that impairs thinking, reasoning, and muscle coordination, essential abilities for operating a vehicle safely. As alcohol levels rise in a person's system, the negative effects on the central nervous system increase, and the risk of crashing becomes significantly higher.
Motorcycle operators involved in fatal crashes had the highest percentage of alcohol-impaired drivers among all vehicle types. In 2023, 6,335 people operating motorcycles were killed in traffic crashes, of whom 1,668 (26%) were drunk. Repeat offenders who drink and drive are a deadly problem. Drivers with a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of 0.08 g/dL or higher involved in fatal crashes were six times more likely to have prior convictions for driving while impaired than drivers with no alcohol.
Young people are the most at-risk age group for drunk driving. Data shows that drivers between the ages of 21 and 24 account for 29% of all fatal alcohol-impaired crashes, followed closely by 25- to 34-year-olds (28%). Men are more likely to be involved in drunk driving crashes, with four male drunk drivers for every female drunk driver. Minimum drinking age laws have helped save lives, and all states have adopted a minimum legal drinking age of 21 to reduce alcohol-related fatal crashes among youth.
While drunk driving laws and enforcement have contributed to reducing drunk-driving deaths since the 1980s, more work needs to be done to eliminate this preventable cause of death. Public awareness campaigns and incorporating drunk and impaired driving prevention technology into new vehicles are some measures being pursued to address this issue.
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Alcohol-related cancers
Alcohol is the most common substance used by people aged 12 and older in the United States. Excessive alcohol use is a leading preventable cause of death in the country, with about 178,000 people dying from excessive drinking each year. This figure has increased by 29% from just a few years earlier (2016-2017), when there were an estimated 138,000 deaths per year. This averages out to one death every 10 seconds, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Alcohol-related deaths include both deaths from drinking alcohol over several years and drinking too much on one occasion. Two-thirds of alcohol-related deaths (117,000) are from chronic conditions that develop from drinking alcohol over time, including several types of cancer. Alcohol-related cancers include breast, liver, colorectal, throat, voice box, mouth, and esophageal cancers. Of these, liver, colorectal, and esophageal cancers were the deadliest overall in 2021.
The carcinogenic effect of alcohol accumulates in the body over time. While alcohol may not be responsible for every case of these cancers, it has been shown to be a driving factor in a percentage of them. The enzyme that metabolizes alcohol is lower in some ethnic groups, so acetaldehyde, the carcinogen in alcohol, is higher in these people. As a result, low-income communities are at a greater risk for social and health complications related to alcohol.
Alcohol-related deaths can be prevented through policies that make it easier for people to choose to drink less. For example, drunk driving laws have been a major factor in reducing drunk-driving deaths since the 1980s. All states have adopted a minimum legal drinking age of 21, and minimum drinking age laws have saved 31,959 lives from 1975 to 2017. The WHO has set a voluntary global target of a 10% reduction in harmful alcohol use by 2025.
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Alcohol-related suicides
Alcohol is a depressant, and it can have both stimulating and sedating effects on the human body. The effects vary from person to person and depend on how much alcohol is consumed. The stimulating effects may include impulsivity and aggression, while the sedating effects may include feelings of sadness and despair. Alcohol reduces a person's awareness of their negative emotions and impairs their ability to use healthy coping skills to manage stressful situations. Both these effects can be harmful to someone experiencing suicidal thoughts, as they reduce inhibition and increase the risk of moving from suicidal ideation to an attempt.
Alcohol increases the risk of suicide, and this risk increases with the amount of alcohol consumed. Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a potent risk factor for suicidal behaviour and is the second most commonly identified mental disorder among suicide decedents worldwide. AUD is prevalent among individuals who die by suicide, and the risk estimates are higher for individuals with AUD in treatment settings compared to those in the community with AUD. Approximately 36% of male and 29% of female suicide decedents ages 18 and older in the United States have a postmortem blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.001 g/dL or more, and 24% of males and 17% of females have BAC levels exceeding 0.08 g/dL, the legal limit for drinking and driving in the country.
Research has shown that during the 24-hour period preceding a suicide attempt, alcohol use in a given hour is associated with increased intensity of suicidal ideation in the next hour. Alcohol use is also associated with a rapid transition from acute suicidal impulse to action, promoting suicidal ideation and disinhibition. Alcohol-related increases in psychological distress, depressed mood, aggressiveness, and impulsivity are some of the mechanisms by which alcohol increases the risk of suicidal behaviour.
To prevent alcohol-related suicides, it is crucial to understand the factors that contribute to suicide risk, including mental health conditions, history of trauma or abuse, chronic illness or pain, social factors, and personal stressors. Suicide prevention efforts should focus on addressing these underlying factors and promoting mental health and well-being. Additionally, policies that reduce harmful alcohol use can also play a role in lowering the risk of alcohol-related suicides. The World Health Organization (WHO) has set a target of a 10% reduction in harmful alcohol use by 2025.
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Frequently asked questions
One person dies from alcohol every 10 seconds.
It is estimated that approximately 88,000 people die from alcohol each year, with about 178,000 deaths attributable to excessive alcohol use.
Alcohol-related deaths can be caused by chronic conditions that develop from drinking alcohol over time, such as liver disease, heart disease, and cancer. They can also be caused by binge drinking or drinking too much on one occasion, leading to motor vehicle crashes, alcohol-involved drug overdoses, alcohol poisoning, and suicides.
