Alcohol acts as a depressant to the central nervous system, which is why it is such a popular product to consume. It makes people relax, feel better about a tough day, and even contributes to a certain level of sleepiness. A little alcohol might actually be good for a person’s health, but too much alcohol can actually poison the body. When blood alcohol levels reach too high, alcohol poisoning can even lead to death.
Statistics on Alcohol Poisoning Deaths
1. Excessive alcohol use led to approximately 88,000 deaths in the United States between 2006-2010.
2. Excessive drinking was responsible for 1 in 10 deaths among working-age adults aged 20-64 years.
3. The economic costs of excessive alcohol consumption in 2006 were estimated at $223.5 billion.
4. The public health cost associated with every drink a person takes who is abusing alcohol: $1.90 per drink.
5. In 2010, a total of 25,692 people died of alcohol induced causes in the United States.
6. The lethal dose of alcohol is 5 to 8g/kg, or about 30 standard drinks for the average person.
7. Overdose becomes possible when blood alcohol levels (BALs) reach .28, with 50 percent of people dying at BALs of .40.
8. 95% of people will be at risk for overdose after consuming 21 standard drinks in 6 or fewer hours.
9. There are over 50,000 cases of alcohol poisoning reported each year.
10. Alcohol poisoning results in 50 deaths each year on US college campuses.
11. In 2009, about 10.4 million young people between ages 12 and 20 drank more than “just a few sips” of alcohol.
12. By age 15, half of teens have had at least one drink. By age 18, more than 70% of teens have had at least one drink.
13. On average, young people have about 5 drinks on a single occasion – qualifying them as binge drinkers.
14. 5,000 people under age 21 die each year because of the alcohol they have consumed in some way.
15. More than 190,000 people under age 21 visited an emergency room for alcohol-related injuries in 2008.
16. The under age 21 that drink alcohol demographic are more likely to carry out or be the victim of a physical or sexual assault.
17. The annual average number of deaths for which alcohol poisoning was listed as an underlying cause in the United States is 317, or 0.11 per 100,000 Americans.
18. Men accounted for more than 80% of the deaths that are related to alcohol poisoning.
19. With 20 drinks in 1 hour, an average male weighing 160 pounds could reach a BAC level beyond 0.40.
20. 53% of parents and 56% of adults that were not parents expressed concern about life-threatening alcohol poisoning among college students in a survey by the American Medical Association.
21. The estimated number of underage binge drinkers in the US: 7.2 million.
22. Binge drinkers are 11x more likely to ride with a driver who has been drinking alcohol that evening.
23. Those at risk of alcohol poisoning are also 19x more likely to be smokers and 4x to get involved in a physical fight.
How a Drink is Defined
A drink in the United States is defined as 14 grams of alcohol that is pure. This is why one 12 ounce beer or a 1.5 ounce shot of 80 proof hard liquor both qualify as a standard drink. Alcohol poisoning isn’t going to come from having a drink or two with dinner. It will come, however, when there is heavy and prolonged drinking, binge drinking, or with a fetus when a woman drinks alcohol during a pregnancy. Binge drinking is 4 or more drinks in a single occasion for women and 5 drinks for men. Heavy drinking for men is 15 drinks per week, while for women it is just 8 drinks in a 7 day period.
Even if binge drinking or heavy drinking habits don’t lead to alcohol poisoning, there are short-term health risks that must be considered. High blood alcohol levels can lead to impaired decision making that may involve sexually risky behaviors or injuries that occur to oneself or others because of the decision to drive. Miscarriage and stillbirths are also common when pregnant women consume alcohol in such quantities.
There are also long-term health consequences to consider as well. High blood pressure, liver disease, and even cancer can come from excessive alcohol use that is prolonged in nature. Memory and learning problems may also develop, as many mental disorders, such as anxiety or depression. These alcohol poisoning death statistics are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what the abuse of alcohol can do to the human body.
Effects of Alcohol Poisoning
Alcohol poisoning seems like it would be difficult to accomplish, yet there are thousands of people who die because of alcohol every year. This is why knowing what your limits are is so important. Just because you have a high alcohol tolerance doesn’t mean that you’re actually not contributing to alcohol poisoning. You might not feel the effects of alcohol after 5 drinks in an hour, but your BAC will still be affected.
The biggest problem with regular alcohol consumption might be the development of liver disease, but overdosing on alcohol is still a major problem. Alcohol overdoses are a Top 5 substance abuse issue in the United States and has been since 1999. More than 20 people out of every 100,000 of the general population will overdose on alcohol over the course of a year.
Many of the cases of alcohol poisoning don’t make the official statistics. Some officials estimate that up to 50,000 incidents of alcohol poisoning may occur every year. Out of these estimates, only 1 out of 1,000 will actually result in a death, but that doesn’t mean permanent brain damage may not occur. The best way to stop alcohol poisoning is to not drink enough alcohol to reach those limits. That means avoiding the practice of drinking 21 shots on a 21st birthday.
Alcohol poisoning deaths might be rather rare, but it still a serious issue. By being aware of how much you and your friends drink, your party doesn’t have to become one of these statistics.