April is Alcohol Awareness Month and a time to open the conversation about alcohol use and its impact on communities across the U.S. Approximately 88,000 lives are lost to excessive alcohol consumption each year. This is why it’s important to raise awareness on a local, state, and national scale and to start critical conversations about prevention and recovery. There are about 20 million individuals and their family members who are living in recovery. You are not alone, help is available, and behavioral health conditions are treatable.
Excessive alcohol use (binge drinking) has immediate effects that increase the risk of many harmful health conditions.
The most common results of binge drinking include:
Injuries, such as motor vehicle crashes, falls, drownings and burns- Violence, including homicide, suicide, sexual assault, and intimate partner violence
- Alcohol poisoning, a medical emergency that results from high blood alcohol levels
- Risky sexual behaviors, including unprotected sex or sex with multiple partners. These behaviors can result in unintended pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases
- Miscarriage and stillbirth or fetal alcohol spectrum disorders among pregnant women.
Over time, excessive alcohol use can lead to the development of chronic diseases and other serious problems including:
- High blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, liver disease, and digestive problems
- Cancer of the breast, mouth, throat, esophagus, liver and colon
- Learning and memory problems, including dementia and poor school performance
- Mental health problems, including depression and anxiety
- Social problems, including lost productivity, family problems, and unemployment
- Alcohol dependence, or alcoholism
Local Data
According to 2019 Community Health Rankings (CHR) 18% of adults in St. Mary’s report excessive drinking and 41% of local driving deaths involve alcohol use.
The 2016 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) data shows that 61% of high school students in St. Mary’s County have used alcohol – 18% of them used alcohol before the age of 13. 33% of our high school students admit to currently using alcohol.
Click here for more data on alcohol use and its consequences in St. Mary’s County.
What Can Be Done?
The Community Alcohol Coalition (CAC) is a volunteer organization that addresses underage and binge drinking in St. Mary’s County. Established in 2012, the CAC relies on the involvement of community members and organizations to successfully implement designated strategies to address the negative impact of underage and binge drinking. Through outreach, training and public awareness, the CAC is leading efforts to address the impact of alcohol on area youth.