Alcohol-related deaths spiked during one of the most stressful years in American history, according to new data. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimated there were 138,000 deaths per year between 2016-17 due to excessive alcohol, and that number remained relatively stable until the COVID outbreak. According to the CDC, the number of alcohol-related deaths increased by 29% to 178,000 during COVID-19 from 2020-2021.
The CDC says the jump in these deaths was attributed to stress and isolation during the pandemic. Most of the deaths were adult men 35 and older, and the increase developed from drinking over long periods of time and binge drinking and drinking too much on one occasion.
Around 117,000 deaths are also because of chronic conditions that stem from long-term alcohol use which contributes to cancer, liver disease, heart disease, and alcohol use disorders. About 61,000 deaths come from drinking too much on one occasion, such as motor vehicle crashes, poisonings involving substances in addition to alcohol, and suicides.
The CDC says excessive drinking is the leading cause of preventable death in the country. Law enforcement data also shows that alcohol abuse and arrests increased during the pandemic.
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