Fact Sheets - Preventing Excessive Alcohol Use

Preventing Excessive Alcohol Use

Excessive alcohol use is responsible for approximately 88,000 deaths in the United States each year1and $249 billion in economic costs in 2010.2 Excessive alcohol use includes

Binge drinking (defined as consuming 4 or more alcoholic beverages per occasion for women or 5 or more drinks per occasion for men).
Heavy drinking (defined as consuming 8 or more alcoholic beverages per week for women or 15 or more alcoholic beverages per week for men).
Any drinking by pregnant women or those younger than age 21.

The strategies listed below can help communities create social and physical environments that discourage excessive alcohol consumption thereby, reducing alcohol-related fatalities, costs, and other harms.

The Community Preventive Services Task Force Recommendations
The Community Preventive Services Task Force, an independent, nonfederal, volunteer body of public health and prevention experts, recommends several evidence-based community strategies to reduce harmful alcohol use. Learn more about the Community Guide’s findings.