Researches estimate about 1 in 5 deaths among adults aged 20 to 49 were due to excessive alcohol consumption in the US, according to a recent study.
The study used data from 2015 to 2019 of deaths either fully or partially attributable to excessive drinking, including vehicle accidents, alcohol poisoning and other health impacts, like liver disease.
The percentage of deaths varied state by state, but is overall the leading cause of preventable death, according to study author Dr. Marissa Esser.
“States and communities can prevent these premature deaths using evidence-based strategies to reduce the availability and accessibility of alcohol and increase its price.”
– Dr. Marissa Esser
Suggested methods to reduce drinking in the population would be to increase taxes on alcohol or limiting where alcohol is sold.
