A Dozen Interesting Facts About Alcohol

1. Alcohol is a drug! It is the most commonly used and abused by both adults and young people. Alcohol is considered America's drug of choice and although it can be expensive, is so because it is legal.
2. Alcoholism is a disease! Alcoholism is the term used for the alcohol dependent individual.  It is the strong craving for alcohol and even though they are aware of dangerous side effects, the alcoholic cannot stop drinking. Left untreated this incurable disease can be fatal.
3. Ranging in age from 12 to 20, 65 percent of youth surveyed have drank or do drink alcohol regularly. The majority of those surveyed admitted to having received it from a friend or family member.
4. Over 14 million Americans meet diagnostic criteria for alcohol use disorder. This means that they are either regular alcohol abusers or alcohol dependent.
5. Among current adult drinkers, at least 50 percent have a blood relative who is, or was, an alcoholic. Recent statistics show that adult abusers were raised in a home where either one or both parents were either alcohol abusers and/or alcohol dependent.
6. Males are four times more likely to be heavy drinkers than females and twice as likely to have a drinking problem.
7. More than 18 percent of all Americans experience some form of alcohol abuse or dependency at some point in their lives. In a survey conducted, most Americans admitted to using alcohol as a stress relief. 
8. 45 percent of all traffic fatalities are alcohol related with 32 percent of them having a child occupant or being a child pedestrian. Night time drivers were four times more likely to become involved in an alcohol related accident.
9. Alcohol is the most commonly used drug among young people. According to recent studies, most Americans stated that they had tasted some form of alcoholic beverage by the age of 6.
10. Underage drinking costs the United States $58 billion annually.  This number is primarily due to motor vehicle accidents and illegal acts which involve some type of mandatory jail time.
11. Alcohol kills 6 1/2 times more youth than any other illicit drug. Because alcohol is a legal drug, it is more easily accessable to young people and there is less fear of using it or getting caught with it.
12. Problem drinkers average 4 times more days during a hospital stay than a non drinker and Most of these hospital admissions are due to alcohol related injuries and accidents.