Alcohol Use & Alcoholism Statistics in the U.S.
Alcohol Use & Abuse in the US
Alcohol is one of the most commonly used substances in the U.S. The 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), which provides addiction statistics, offers the following alcohol facts: 85.6% of adults aged 18 and older reporting drinking alcohol at least once in their lives, with 69.5% reporting having had alcohol in the past year, and 54.9% having had alcohol in the past month.1
Binge drinking means having at least 5 drinks for a man or 4 drinks for a woman in around 2 hours, while heavy drinking means binge drinking on 5 or more days in the past month.1
According to the NSDUH, 25.8% of people aged 18 and older reported binge drinking in the past month. Binge drinking was reported by 29.7% of men and 22.2% of women in this age group. Furthermore, 6.3% of adults (8.3% men and 4.5% women) reported that they were heavy alcohol users in the past month.1
High-intensity drinking is an emerging trend. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) defines this pattern of drinking as consuming alcohol “at levels that are two or more times the gender-specific binge drinking thresholds.”
People who engage in this behavior are 70% more likely to visit the ER due to alcohol-related problems. People who drank 3 times the gender-specific threshold were 93% more likely to visit the ER for similar issues.1
Cost of Alcohol Abuse
In the U.S., the economic cost of excessive alcohol use is estimated to be around $29 billion in 2010, with $179 billion in workplace productivity costs, $28 billion in medical costs, $25 billion in criminal justice costs, and $13 billion in motor vehicle collisions.2
Alcohol Use Disorder
Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a clinical diagnosis of alcoholism, or alcohol addiction.1 The 2019 NSDUH estimated that 14.5 million people ages 12 and older had an AUD. According to the same data, an estimated 414,000 adolescents ages 12 to 17 had an AUD.1
How Many People Die from Alcohol-Related Causes?
Alcohol is a significant cause of death in the U.S. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 95,000 people die every year due to alcohol-related causes. That’s an average of 261 deaths per day.3 NIAAA reports that alcohol-related deaths are on the rise. The most recent statistics from NIAAA indicate that alcohol-related deaths increased from 35,914 in 1999 to 72,558 in 2017.4
In 2019, the CDC reports that the number of deaths due to alcoholic liver disease was 24,110, while the number of alcohol-induced deaths, not counting accidents and homicides, was 39,043.5
Underage Alcohol Abuse
Underage drinking is a serious public health concern in the U.S. The CDC reports that it is the cause of death in 3,500 people under age 21 every year. It is also responsible for an estimated 210,000 years of potential life lost in young people under age 21 each year. In 2010, underage drinking cost the U.S. $21 billion. In 2013, there were 119,000 ER visits in people aged 12-21 due to alcohol-related injuries.6
According to the 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, during the past 30 days, 29% of high school students drank alcohol, 14% engaged in binge drinking, 5% drove after drinking alcohol, and 17% rode with a driver who had been drinking alcohol.6
Binge Drinking
As previously stated, binge drinking is relatively common in the U.S. It is especially common among younger people.
- In 2019, female high school students were more likely to binge drink than male students.6
- According to the 2019 NSDUH, around 4.2 million people ages 12 to 20 said they engaged in binge drinking in the past month, which equals 11.1% of young people aged 12-20, specifically, 10.4% of males and 11.8% of females.6
- 0% of full-time college students ages 18 to 22 reported binge drinking in the past month.
Alcohol Use By Demographic
Alcohol Abuse Among Veterans
Alcohol abuse is prevalent among Veterans. The 2017 NSDUH reports that veterans were more likely to use alcohol than non-Veterans (56.6% compared to 50.8% in a 1-month period). They were also more likely to report heavy use of alcohol (7.5% vs 6.5% in a 1-month period). Furthermore, 65% of Veterans who enter a substance abuse treatment program report that alcohol is their main substance of abuse.11
Alcoholism Treatment Statistics
Treatment for Alcoholism in the Past Year
We'll be able to tell you if your insurance provider is in network with an American Addiction Centers treatment facility.
- Dual-diagnosis treatment centers.
- Personalized treatment plans.
- Financial options available.