Study Finds 20% of Deaths in Adults Ages 20 to 49 Due to Excessive Alcohol Use

An estimated 20% of deaths of U.S. adults ages 20 to 49 are due to excessive alcohol use, according to a new study.

Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s alcohol program evaluated national and state mortality data from 2015 to 2019. They looked for deaths either fully or partially attributable to excessive alcohol use, such as from vehicle accidents, alcohol poisoning and liver disease. They found deaths fully attributable to alcohol have increased in the past decade.

Lead study author Dr. Marissa Esser told CNN states and local communities can prevent alcohol-related deaths using evidence-based strategies to reduce the availability and accessibility of alcohol and increase its price, such as by increasing taxes on alcohol or limiting where it is sold.