Heavy Alcohol Use Costing U.S. Economy More

According to a new report by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), heavy alcohol drinking is taking a major troll on U.S. economy.

When it comes to lost productivity, companies saw $179 billion in costs, with the biggest factors being lost productivity at work ($76.86 billion) and death ($75.2 billion).

The study concluded “It is clear that excessive alcohol consumption is very expensive, and that these costs are largely due to binge drinking, and that a substantial proportion of these costs are borne by taxpayers, including non-drinkers”.

Excessive drinking can be deadly for individuals, but its a drain on the USA economy as well.

Washington D.C. has the highest cost per person – $1,526, compared to the $807 national average – and New Mexico has the highest cost per drink -$2.77, compared to the $2.05 national average.

Most of these costs were due to binge drinking, which is defined as having more than five drinks on one occasion in men and more than four drinks in women.

“The increase in the costs of excessive drinking from 2006 to 2010 is concerning, particularly given the severe economic recession that occurred during these years”, study author Robert Brewer, M.D., M.S.P.H., head of the CDC’s Alcohol Program, said in an agency news release. Binge drinking was responsible for 70% of these costs in all states, and 40% of the binge drinking-related costs were paid by government..

About 77 percent of total costs resulted from binge drinking.

On an average, excessive alcohol consumption marks 88,000 deaths every year. By looking at these figures, CDC researchers reported that these numbers actually underestimate the real cost of drinking on the economy.

It said the the problem might be reduced by several proven strategies, such as increasing taxes on alcohol, limiting the geographic density of alcohol outlets, holding commercial hosts liable, and better use of screenings and interventions for heavy drinkers.