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The Impact of Alcohol Abuse: Causes, Effects, and Solutions

Categories: Alcohol Abuse Health Care Policy Social Justice

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Alcohol Res
v.38(1); 2016

Social and Cultural Contexts of Alcohol Use

Alcohol use and misuse account for 3.3 million deaths every year, or 6 percent of all deaths worldwide. The harmful effects of alcohol misuse are far reaching and range from individual health risks, morbidity, and mortality to consequences for family, friends, and the larger society. This article reviews a few of the cultural and social influences on alcohol use and places individual alcohol use within the contexts and environments where people live and interact. It includes a discussion of macrolevel factors, such as advertising and marketing, immigration and discrimination factors, and how neighborhoods, families, and peers influence alcohol use. Specifically, the article describes how social and cultural contexts influence alcohol use/misuse and then explores future directions for alcohol research.

The alcohol research literature is overwhelmingly focused on risk factors, from the societal level down to the individual. Worldwide, 3.3 million deaths were attributed to alcohol misuse in 2012 ( World Health Organization 2014 ). Excessive alcohol use is the third leading cause of death in the United States, accounting for 88,000 deaths per year ( Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2014 ). Globally, alcohol-attributable disease and injury are responsible for an estimated 4 percent of mortality and 4 to 5 percent of disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) ( Rehm et al. 2009 ). The harmful effects of alcohol misuse are far reaching and range from accidents and injuries to disease and death, as well as consequences for family, friends, and the larger society. Economic costs attributed to excessive alcohol consumption are considerable. In the United States alone, the costs of excessive alcohol use were estimated at $223.5 billion in 2006, or $746 per person ( Bouchery et al. 2011 ). Much of these costs result from a loss in workplace productivity as well as health care expenses, criminal justice involvement, and motor vehicle crashes ( Rehm et al. 2009 ).

This article reviews some of the cultural and social influences on alcohol use and places individual alcohol use within the contexts and environments where people live and interact. This is not an exhaustive review but aims to show the wide range of contexts that may shape alcohol use.

Disparities in and Influences on Alcohol Use: A Social–Ecological Framework

Alcohol consumption varies across gender and race/ethnicity. Across the world, men consume more alcohol than women, and women in more developed countries drink more than women in developing countries ( Rehm et al. 2009 ). American men are much more likely than women to use alcohol (56.5 percent vs. 47.9 percent, respectively), to binge drink (30.4 percent vs. 16 percent, respectively), and to report heavy drinking (9.9 percent vs. 3.4 percent, respectively) ( Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration [SAMSHA] 2013 ). (Binge drinking is defined here as the number of instances in the past 12 months that women drank 4 or more drinks and men drank 5 or more drinks within a 2-hour period.) Among racial and ethnic groups, Whites report the highest overall alcohol use among persons age 12 and over (57.4 percent). American Indian/Alaska Natives report the highest levels of binge drinking (30.2 percent), followed by Whites (23.9 percent), Hispanic/Latinos (23.2 percent), African Americans (20.6 percent), and Asians (12.7 percent) ( SAMHSA 2013 ). Alarmingly, according to two nationally representative samples, trends in alcohol misuse increased among both men and women and African-American and Hispanic youth over the decade between 1991–1992 and 2001–2002. Rates of dependence also increased among men, young Black women, and Asian men during the same time period ( Grant et al. 2004 ).

Given these trends, it is clear that a better understanding of the underlying social and cultural factors contributing to these disparities is needed. For example, socioeconomic status (SES) indicators (i.e., education, income, and occupation) usually are strong predictors of health behaviors and outcomes and tend to be positively associated with health. People with higher SES tend to drink more frequently than others ( Huckle et al. 2010 ). Among drinkers, low-SES groups tend to drink larger quantities of alcohol ( Huckle et al. 2010 ).

Like other health issues, alcohol use can be linked to a complex array of factors ranging from individual-level (i.e., genetics) to population-level (i.e., cultural and societal factors) characteristics ( Berkman et al. 2000 ; Krieger 2001 ; Link and Phelan 1995 ). On a population level, emerging research has documented the relationship between social determinants and health ( Berkman and Kawachi 2000 ; Berkman et al. 2000 ) and, specifically, the social epidemiology of alcohol use ( Bernstein et al. 2007 ; Galea et al. 2004 ). Social capital theory suggests that social networks and connections influence health ( Berkman et al. 2000 ). Individuals who have higher levels of social support and community cohesion generally are thought to be healthier because they have better links to basic health information, better access to health services, and greater financial support with medical costs. ( Berkman and Kawachi 2000 ).

This article examines these population-level as well as individual influences through a social–ecological framework, which posits that human health and development occur across a spectrum—from the individual to the macro or societal level ( Bronfenbrenner 1994 ). In the context of alcohol use, individuals are nested within their microsystem (their home, work, and school environments), which is nested itself within the larger community. Macrolevel factors, such as exposure to advertising, may influence family and peer network attitudes and norms, which ultimately affect individual attitudes and behaviors (see figure ).

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A social–ecological framework for explaining influences on alcohol use. Individual-level factors that influence alcohol use are nested within home, work, and school environments, which are nested within the larger community. Macro-level factors, such as exposure to advertising, may influence family and peer network attitudes and norms, which ultimately affect individual attitudes and behaviors.

Societal Influences: Advertising, Marketing, and Social Media

Media exposure helps influence social norms about alcohol through advertising, product placements, and stories in a wide range of sources, including movies, television, social media, and other forms of entertainment. Although alcohol sales and marketing are highly regulated, people are exposed to a wide variety of alcohol and liquor advertisements, especially in the United States. Whether these advertisements directly result in an increase in consumption has been the topic of many public policy debates and much alcohol and consumer research. Recent studies have used robust methodological designs in order to assess the effects of advertisements on alcohol consumption ( Grenard et al. 2013 ; Koordeman et al. 2012 ). Although longitudinal studies have found that alcohol commercials particularly affected younger adolescents’ propensity to consume alcohol ( Grenard et al. 2013 ), an experimental design randomly assigning college students to alcohol advertisements demonstrated no differences compared with the control group ( Koordeman et al. 2012 ). It is likely that the effects of advertisement differ across age groups and races. The alcohol industry uses complex targeted marketing strategies that focus on African Americans, Latinos, and American Indians, among other demographic groups, such as youth and other ethnic minorities ( Alaniz and Wilkes 1998 ; Moore et al. 2008 ). Empirical studies show that targeted alcohol marketing results in individuals developing positive beliefs about drinking, and creating and expanding environments where alcohol use is socially acceptable and encouraged ( Alaniz and Wilkes 1998 ; Hastings et al. 2005 ; McKee et al. 2011 ). These factors can result in the onset of drinking and binge drinking, and in increased alcohol consumption ( Tanski et al. 2015 ).

Since the introduction of flavored alcoholic beverages in the 1980s, the alcohol industry has engaged in targeted marketing efforts toward youth in general, and especially young women ( Mosher and Johnsson 2005 ). Products with sweet fruity flavors, colorful appearance and packaging, as well as lower alcohol content are designed to appeal to young women. Fruity drinks mask the taste of traditional alcoholic beverages with the sugary flavors of soft drinks ( Mosher and Johnsson 2005 ), making them more palatable for this consumer market. Although the alcohol industry claims that its marketing strategies target adults ages 21–29, products like flavored alcoholic beverages remain attractive to younger drinkers.

Research estimates that 38.5 percent of high school students have used alcohol in the past month, and 20.5 percent of teenagers started drinking before age 13 ( Eaton et al. 2012 ). Approximately 75 percent of high school seniors and 64 percent of high school 10th graders report having experimented with alcohol ( Kann et al. 2014 ). Youth under age 21 see and hear marketing for flavored alcoholic beverages disproportionally on a per capita basis compared with adults ( Jernigan et al. 2005 ), and a disproportionate number of youth consume alcoholic beverages ( Mosher and Johnsson 2005 ). Furthermore, youth exposed to alcohol advertisements tend to drink more on average than their peers who were exposed to less intensive alcohol-related marketing ( Snyder et al. 2006 ). Specifically, the authors found that each additional advertisement viewed by youth increased the reported number of drinks consumed by 1 percent.

Alcohol marketing also can lead to youth and young adults developing alcohol brand preferences ( Albers et al. 2014 ; Ross et al. 2015 ), which can influence their reports of alcohol consumption ( Roberts et al. 2014 ). For example, youth reported on average 11 more drinks per month when responding to an online survey that used brand-specific measures compared with a survey using more general alcohol measures ( Roberts et al. 2014 ). The relationship between alcohol brand receptivity and alcohol brand consumption also has been linked to whether and when adolescents begin to binge drink ( Morgenstern et al. 2014 ).

Increased use of social media for alcohol marketing has paralleled changes in communication methods among adolescents and college-age youth ( Hoffman et al. 2014 ). Marketing techniques for a wide range of products reflect studies that online platforms are likely to influence adolescent behaviors ( Cook et al. 2013 ). Social media venues are most widely used by youth, with 92 percent of teens reporting being online daily and 24 percent online “almost constantly” ( Lenhart 2015 ). Social-networking sites such as Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook feature alcohol-related marketing. One study found that by 2012, there were more than 1,000 alcohol-related sites on Facebook alone ( Nhean et al. 2014 ). Alcohol use increases with the number of online peer ties and greater peer density, a measure of interconnectedness in the social network ( Cook et al. 2013 ). Despite self-imposed regulations aimed at preventing underage youth from accessing alcohol advertisements on social media, more than two-thirds of advertisements on YouTube are accessible to youth under the legal drinking age ( Barry et al. 2015 ).

Racial and ethnic minorities, especially those living in African-American communities, are likewise exposed to targeted alcohol beverage advertisements ( Wilson and Till 2012 ). African Americans account for 13 percent of the U.S. population, but they purchase 67 percent of all malt liquor sold ( Miller Brewing Company 2000 ). Malt liquor generally has higher alcohol content, is less expensive, and is sold in larger volumes than other beers and ales, and African Americans are exposed to more malt liquor advertisements than other groups. Billboards and other advertisements for malt liquor are disproportionately found in neighborhoods with higher percentages of African Americans, and rap music lyrics frequently mention malt liquor ( Herd 2013 ; McKee et al. 2011 ). When examining alcohol advertising in newspapers, Cohen and colleagues (2006) found that there were more alcohol-related ads in newspapers targeted to African-American readers compared with newspapers with a more general readership. Kwate and Meyer (2009) found a correlation between problem drinking among African-American women and exposure to alcohol advertisements, suggesting that as ad exposure increased, so did alcohol consumption.

These findings, however, must be interpreted with caution, as it is difficult to determine whether advertisements directly result in increased alcohol consumption. To begin with, a variety of marketing strategies including distribution, product development, pricing, and targeted marketing all may affect links between advertising and consumption ( Alaniz and Wilkes 1998 ; Roberts et al. 2014 ). For example, Molloy (2015) found that after controlling for targeting, only moderate advertising effects are seen, despite the strong correlations between alcohol advertising and drinking among youth. It also is unclear which aspects of online social media advertisements are related to the observed correlations. Research shows that drinkers like advertising about alcohol more than nondrinkers do, respond neurologically to the advertising more intensively than nondrinkers do, and may recall the advertising more clearly ( Snyder et al. 2006 ), making it harder to distinguish among the specific mechanisms behind the observed relationships. As a result, making causal statements about alcohol use and marketing is problematic because the temporal order between using alcohol and seeing advertisements is not frequently established ( Snyder et al. 2006 ).

Despite these challenges, it is important to develop new strategies to systematically examine the impact of advertising and marketing on alcohol use among different populations. For example, researchers might continue to compare marketing and advertising strategies within specific neighborhoods to more fully understand targeted marketing’s influence on alcohol use. Further research and evaluation studies also are needed that can help establish whether and how advertising and marketing can lead to alcohol use in vulnerable and disadvantaged populations.

Influences From Discrimination

A number of social and cultural factors predict increased alcohol use, including discrimination and its related stigma. The role of discrimination and stress in health-related risk behaviors, including alcohol use, is well established ( Dawson et al. 2005 ; Hatzenbuehler 2009 ; Paradies 2006 ). The stress and coping framework frequently is applied to explain the influence of discrimination and stigma on health ( Krieger 1999 ; Pascoe and Smart Richman 2009 ; Walters et al. 2002 ). This long-held theory posits that people consume alcohol to cope with the stress of their daily lives, including work-related stressors and racial and ethnic discrimination ( Conger 1956 ).

Discrimination is seen as a key social stressor that elicits a physiological response, including elevated blood pressure and release of stress hormones ( Williams and Mohammed 2009 ), which may have lifelong deleterious effects, including increased alcohol use ( Pascoe and Smart Richman 2009 ). Self-reported unfair treatment and racial discrimination has been linked to higher alcohol use among Asian Americans ( Chae et al. 2008 ; Gee et al. 2007 ; Yoo et al. 2010 ) and Latinos ( Mulia et al. 2008 ).

The picture is less clear among African Americans. Although similar positive associations have been found between level of discrimination and alcohol use in this population ( Boynton et al. 2014 ; Gibbons et al. 2004 ; Mulia et al. 2008 ), other recent studies ( Kwate and Meyer 2009 ) among African-American adults have found no relationship between high levels of racial discrimination and heavy and episodic drinking. However, Borrell and colleagues (2007) did report an association between discrimination and past-year alcohol use. The mixed results among African Americans may relate more to SES than to discrimination. Past studies suggest that African Americans with higher levels of education were more likely to report experiencing discrimination, whereas the opposite was true among Whites ( Borrell et al. 2007 ; Krieger et al. 1998 ). This may be because better educated African Americans find themselves in situations in which they may be exposed to discrimination, or they may be more acutely aware of how subtly it can be expressed. Whites of lower SES may be in the minority and therefore may be more likely to report experiencing discrimination. This may explain the mixed results found in this particular population segment, as socioeconomic position actually may mute the effects of discrimination on alcohol use. Further research is needed to examine these potential mechanisms and other underlying factors that interact with racial discrimination to influence and alcohol use and misuse among minorities.

Another group that may be at particular risk for alcohol problems stemming from their experiences with discrimination are those in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community, who experience high levels of discrimination related to sexual orientation and gender identification ( Krieger and Sidney 1997 ). One study found that more than two-thirds of LGBT adults experienced discrimination, and individuals who reported discrimination based on race, gender, and sexual orientation were almost four times more likely to use alcohol and other substances ( McCabe et al. 2010 ). This suggests that future studies and public health interventions should focus not only on racial and gender discrimination, but also sexual orientation and gender identification.

Immigration-Related Influences

Societal influences can shape drinking behavior among immigrants to the United States. In 2010, nearly 40 million people, or 13 percent of the U.S. population, had been born in another country—the largest absolute number of U.S. immigrants ever and the highest proportion who are foreign born since the 1920s ( Grieco et al. 2012 ). With wide diversity among immigrants in terms of national origin, language, religion, and social class, and with even more reasons for and processes of migration than ever before ( Dubowitz et al. 2010 ), it is no surprise that the evidence on alcohol consumption among immigrants is similarly complex.

Immigration may influence alcohol consumption and its consequences in at least two ways. The first theory suggests that immigrants encounter difficulties and hardships as they transition into a new society and culture ( Berry 1997 ). Hardships include the stress of experiencing new environments and cultures; living in poor neighborhoods; finding good, secure jobs in safe work environments; encountering few opportunities to enhance income or wealth; and engaging with fewer and smaller social networks that may otherwise offer instrumental and emotional support. It also is possible that immigrants may not become fully integrated into American society because of experiences with discrimination and obstacles in social mobility ( Unger et al. 2014 ). Because these factors are associated with alcohol consumption and problems, immigrants may consume more alcohol ( Unger et al. 2014 ). As they become settled in the new society, this consumption pattern decreases ( Bui 2012 ). A second hypothesis posits that alcohol consumption increases the longer immigrants live in a new location ( Lee et al. 2013 ). Over time, immigrants may learn the behaviors and adapt the lifestyles often associated with alcohol consumption in American society (i.e. experience acculturation) ( Caetano 1987 ; Vaeth et al. 2012 ).

Strong evidence indicates that norms in countries of origin have long-term effects on the drinking patterns of immigrants ( Cook et al. 2014 ). Recent immigrants generally have lower rates of alcohol consumption and excessive drinking than other U.S. residents ( Brown et al. 2005 ; Szaflarski et al. 2011 ). Available reviews find that acculturation leads to more alcohol consumption among immigrants, including Latinos ( Valencia and Johnson 2008 ; Zemore 2007 ). Higher acculturation is associated with higher odds of drinking and heavier drinking among Latino women ( Zemore 2007 ). The findings for Latino men appear less clear cut, with high acculturation tied to greater likelihood of drinking but not a definitive pattern for problem drinking.

Studies are beginning to recognize the importance of premigration factors, including levels of alcohol use before migration as well as the cultural influences of countries of origin ( Sanchez et al. 2014 ; Walsh et al. 2014 ). One study ( Sanchez et al. 2014 ) among Latinos found that Latino men had higher levels of alcohol use before immigration, with steeper declines postmigration compared with Latino women. This finding suggests that future studies may need to focus on trajectories of alcohol use to address alcohol prevention efforts. Moreover, retaining culture of origin also has been shown to have protective influences for alcohol use ( Schwartz et al. 2012 ), including protective family and traditional values.

Timing also may be critical in understanding how immigration is associated with alcohol consumption. Age at immigration can be seen as the developmental context of people’s experiences when they first arrive in the United States. This context helps to shape language use, heterogeneity of social networks, and schooling. The social institutions that affect people’s lives vary by age of immigration ( Fuligni 2004 ; Rumbaut 2004 ). The number of social groups and institutions, such as schools, clubs, friendship networks, and family ties, geared toward supporting children to integrate into their new society is far greater than those available for adults ( Takeuchi et al. 2007 ). These social groups, in turn, offer children greater access to the opportunity structures in a new culture. Conversely, immigrant children may have a larger set of social groups available to them than older immigrants. As a result, they also could experience a greater amount of negative stressors and influences that could lead to detrimental social and health outcomes as they mature. Immigrants who move to the United States at younger ages may be at risk for behaviors like alcohol use and misuse because they have the potential to be involved in social networks that may offer greater access and opportunity to engage in these behaviors, as well as lower levels of parental attachment ( Hahm et al. 2003 ; Vaeth et al. 2012 ).

A recent study found that Mexican immigrants who come to the United States before age 14 have higher alcohol consumption rates than those who are older when they immigrate ( Reingle et al. 2014 ). Immigrants who come at a younger age have alcohol consumption patterns similar to their U.S.-born counterparts. The study by Reingle and colleagues also shows that immigrants who arrive when they are younger than 14 and who live beyond the U.S.–Mexico border region have much higher rates of alcohol use than immigrants in the border region. This particular finding suggests that where immigrants live is another social context worth further investigation.

Community Influences

The literature on community influences on alcohol use focuses primarily on environmental aspects, such as neighborhood characteristics and opportunities for alcohol purchasing and consumption. For example, one study found that individuals who lived in a neighborhood with a poorly built environment, characterized by inferior building conditions, housing, and water and sanitation indicators, were 150 percent more likely to report heavy drinking compared with those living in better built environments ( Bernstein et al. 2007 ). Other studies have examined the spatial epidemiology of neighborhoods regarding alcohol availability, individual consumption, and community disorganization and violence ( Cohen et al. 2006 ; LaVeist and Wallace 2000 ; Scribner et al. 2000 ; Shimotsu et al. 2013 ; Theall et al. 2011 ). Spatial relations between alcohol outlets and individual consumption also may be a key to explaining differential rates in alcohol use across racial/ethnic groups. A number of studies suggest that minority communities have higher concentrations of liquor stores than White communities ( Alaniz and Wilkes 1998 ; LaVeist and Wallace 2000 ; Pollack et al. 2005 ; Romley et al. 2007 ; Treno et al. 2000 ), potentially increasing access to alcohol among minority populations ( Freisthler et al. 2015 ; Scribner et al. 2000 ). Moreover, living in a disadvantaged neighborhood at an early age has long-term effects. Childhood exposure to violence leads to increased exposure to delinquent peers and alcohol use ( Trucco et al. 2014 ). In another study, realizing how easy it is to get alcohol, witnessing neighborhood drug dealing, and seeing peers drink were all associated with increased alcohol use ( Chung et al. 2014 ).

Relating neighborhood characteristics to alcohol use risk is useful for public health program planning because it allows policymakers and programmers to understand how changing structural-level factors of the built environment may affect health risk behaviors, including alcohol use. However, methodological challenges remain when analyzing the impact of complex community factors on individual behaviors. Such factors include social stratification (i.e., the probability of living in certain neighborhoods, which is higher for certain types of persons) and social selection (i.e., the probability that drinkers are more likely to move to certain types of neighborhoods). It remains unclear whether neighborhood disadvantage causes alcohol problems, and whether frequent drinkers are in fact usually more attracted to certain neighborhoods (i.e., self-selection). These challenges limit the interpretation of research on community-level effects. Some studies have attempted to address these issues using propensity matching and time-sensitive indicators ( Ahern et al. 2008 ). Future studies should take these challenges into consideration and address subgroup differences in alcohol use norms across race/ethnicity and gender.

Cultural Norms

Cultural norms and beliefs are strong predictors of both current drinking and frequent heavy drinking ( Brooks-Russell et al. 2013 ; Caetano and Clark 1999 ; LaBrie et al. 2012 ; O’Grady et al. 2011 ; Paschall et al. 2012 ). Across race and ethnicity, African Americans and Latinos report more conservative attitudes toward drinking compared with Whites ( Caetano and Clark 1999 ; LaBrie et al. 2012 ). These more conservative norms may be associated with lower drinking rates among African Americans and Latinos compared with Whites ( SAMHSA 2013 ). Few studies have examined diversity within racial and ethnic groups such as Latinos, Blacks, and Asians, limiting our ability to meet the needs of specific subpopulations. Some studies suggest that alcohol-related problems differ substantially across Latino subgroups, including higher rates of alcohol abuse and dependence among Mexican-American and Puerto Rican men compared with Cuban Americans and Central and South Americans ( Caetano et al. 2008 ). These findings may best be explained by considerable differences in cultural norms, especially the cultural beliefs regarding appropriate alcohol use ( Greenfield and Room 1997 ; LaBrie et al. 2012 ). For example, some scholars explain heavy-drinking patterns among Latino men through the concept of machismo , which has been a significant cultural influence for generations and remains integral to Latino male identity ( Dolezal et al. 2000 ). Machismo suggests that Latino men attempt to appear strong and masculine because of cultural values, and drinking greater amounts of alcohol further exemplifies their masculinity. More recently, scholars have commented that concepts like machismo cannot account for the complexity of Latino drinking behavior ( Caetano 1990 ).

Asians, on the other hand, generally are thought to have higher abstention rates compared with other racial and ethnic groups, especially when they are integrated within their ethnic cultures ( Cook et al. 2012 ). One measure of the retention of ethnic values and cultural norms is generation status. That is, the longer immigrants have lived in the United States, the more likely they are to acculturate to the cultural norms of their destination community ( Berry et al. 2006 ). Lower levels of ethnic identity may be one explanation for these differences across Asian subgroups. Japanese Americans, Filipino Americans, and Korean Americans often have been in the United States longer than other Asian subgroups, such as Cambodians, Thais, and Vietnamese, and also report higher levels of alcohol use compared with other Asian Americans and Asian immigrants ( Iwamoto et al. 2012 ). Ethnic identity may promote stronger family values and traditional ties, leading to lower levels of alcohol use. Moreover, Asian-American adolescents who have a high attachment to family or who share their family’s negative attitudes toward drinking are less likely to consume alcohol ( Hahm et al. 2003 ).

Cultural norms also vary by context and place. Some alcohol researchers have used multilevel approaches to distinguish among the causal effects of individual and neighborhood-level norms. For example, Ahern and colleagues (2008) found that neighborhood norms against drunkenness were a more robust and stronger predictor of binge drinking than permissive beliefs about it held either by the individual or family and friends. If an individual lived in a neighborhood that frowns on binge drinking, that individual was less likely to drink, even if he or she believed it acceptable to do so. This was particularly true for women, suggesting gender norms around alcohol use may be a factor.

Specifically, past studies found that gender differences in alcohol use may reflect the greater social stigma directed at women who drink. This seems to be more pronounced in certain cultures. Caetano and Clark (1999) , for example, found stronger gender norms related to alcohol use in Latino cultures compared with the United States ( Kulis et al. 2012 ). This results in greater gender differences in alcohol use among Latinos compared with other U.S. populations, with recent trends suggesting similar levels of binge drinking between men and women in Western cultures ( Iwamoto et al. 2012 ). This may reflect changing beliefs about gender and social status. Although traditionally perceived as a “masculine” behavior, binge drinking is now more acceptable among women in certain cultures that foster more balanced gender roles ( Lyons and Willott 2008 ).

Family and Peer Influences on Adolescent and Young Adult Drinking

Some of the strongest influences on adolescent drinking behavior come from the people that youth spend the most time with: family and friends. Studies have found that higher levels of alcohol use among parents and peers is associated with increased alcohol use among adolescents and young adults ( Cruz et al. 2012 ; Dawson 2000 ; Mares et al. 2011 ; Osgood et al. 2013 ; Trucco et al. 2014 ; Varvil-Weld et al. 2014 ; Wallace et al. 1999 ; Walsh et al. 2014 ; Williams and Smith 1993 ). Developmentally, people’s social contexts shift from the family unit during childhood to focus more on their peers and their schools during adolescence. Reflecting this, parental alcohol use seems to exert a greater influence before age 15 and diminishes over time ( Dawson 2000 ).

Conversely, family support, bonding, and parental monitoring is associated with lower alcohol use ( Bahr et al. 1995 ; White et al. 2006 ) and social networks and social support also have protective effects ( Ramirez et al. 2012 ). For example, one study that assessed the effects of leaving home and attending college found that although the transition overall was associated with higher levels of alcohol use, young people with fewer friends who use alcohol reported higher levels of religiosity. Higher parental monitoring also protected against alcohol and marijuana use ( White et al. 2006 ). Moreover, higher levels of familism (values that place family needs over individual needs) and being in a nuclear family served as protective factors among adolescents ( Ewing et al. 2015 ).

Peer norms play an important role at this life stage ( Jackson et al. 2014 ). By the late adolescent period, parental influences related to alcohol use are small compared with peer influences ( Schwinn and Schinke 2014 ; Zehe and Colder 2014 ). Much of the focus on peer influences has highlighted the risk networks associated with alcohol use. Peer pressure ( Studer et al. 2014 ), peer alcohol norms ( Varvil-Weld et al. 2014 ), and socializing with substance-using peers ( Patrick et al. 2013 ) were associated with alcohol misuse and binge drinking. Studies note that leaving the home environment, entering college, and joining Greek organizations increased alcohol use as a result of more socially permissive norms around drinking ( Scott-Sheldon et al. 2008 ; White et al. 2006 ).

More recent studies have attempted to assess the synergistic influence of peers and families. Whereas the majority of studies on peers have focused on the negative consequences of social networks, research shows that greater parental support and monitoring can lead to prosocial peer affiliations ( Williams et al. 2015 ). One study found that protective influences in parental domains can moderate the negative effects of negative peer influences among Latino college students ( Varvil-Weld et al. 2014 ). In particular, maternal communication resulted in less alcohol use; conversely, maternal permissive norms and peer norms were associated with more alcohol use. Greater parental disapproval toward alcohol use is associated with lower involvement in peer networks that use alcohol, less peer influence to use, and greater self-efficacy and stronger negotiation skills to avoid alcohol ( Nash et al. 2005 ). Interventions aimed at establishing and fostering conservative peer norms were found to be more effective than individual resistance training ( Hansen and Graham 1991 ), whereas multilevel interventions incorporating peers, families, and communities are known to be effective among adolescents ( Chapman et al. 2013 ; Perry et al. 2002 ; Toumbourou et al. 2013 ).

Existing successful interventions to reduce alcohol use include incorporating culturally sensitive delivery models, such as employing community health workers among Latino populations (Ornelas et al. 2014) and using Web-based interventions to change norms ( Patrick et al. 2014 ). In a recent review, Familias: Preparando la Nueva Generación, a culturally grounded intervention for parents to support Mexican-heritage youth, showed reductions in parental drinking ( Williams et al. 2015 ). Because past studies show that parents may potentially moderate negative peer influence, fostering synergistic solutions between multiple contexts should be a priority ( Ewing et al. 2015 ).

Directions for Future Research

This article highlights examples of how societal factors, cultural norms, neighborhoods, and social contexts may be associated with alcohol misuse. Certain gaps in the literature clearly remain. Methodologically, these findings should be interpreted with caution, because it is difficult to distinguish between and among societal and community-level influences. Future studies should use advanced statistical methods such as multilevel modeling techniques, based on theoretical and conceptual approaches in population health. In addition, longitudinal data will help support causal hypotheses and relationships.

Risk and protective factors, prosocial peer affiliations, and synergistic relationships between social contexts are worth further research. Among immigrants, retaining the cultural values of the country of origin has shown to have protective influences on alcohol use, and this finding should be incorporated into future interventions for immigrant populations. Focusing on risk and protective factors will help inform future programs addressing alcohol initiation, specifically helping parents and communities understand how they may influence alcohol use among adolescents and young adults.

Alcohol research should also more actively acknowledge new social contexts among youth culture. A better understanding of the influence online social networking sites and new media have on alcohol use is particularly important among adolescent populations, and this should be explored more fully in future studies.

Developmentally appropriate strategies are needed to delay initiation of alcohol use, because the family environment may be less influential compared with the influence of peers, social norms, and media among older adolescents and young adults. Future interventions should focus on multiple levels of societal environments, from the community to the individual level.

Finally, given the changing demographic landscape of the United States, including a larger and more diverse immigrant population, interventions and treatment options should also reflect the growing needs of certain groups. However, studies have found that focusing only on changing social norms is insufficient, and that broader interventions that influence multiple levels of an individual’s environment, such as family and schools, may have greater impact. Alcohol education programs need to also address individual intent and motivations while offering personalized feedback and protective behavioral strategies ( Patrick et al. 2014 ). Public health and treatment programs need to be culturally sensitive, paying particular attention to cultural factors such as ethnic identification and orientation.

Financial Disclosure

The authors declare that they have no competing financial interests.

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103 Alcohol Abuse Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

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Alcohol Abuse Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

Alcohol abuse is a prevalent issue that affects individuals, families, and communities worldwide. Writing an essay on this topic can help raise awareness about the consequences of alcohol abuse and encourage discussions on prevention and treatment strategies. Here are 103 alcohol abuse essay topic ideas and examples to inspire your writing:

The impact of alcohol abuse on physical health.
Exploring the psychological effects of alcohol abuse.
The correlation between alcohol abuse and domestic violence.
The role of genetics in alcohol addiction.
Alcohol abuse among college students: causes and prevention.
The effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on fetal development.
Alcohol abuse among teenagers: risk factors and prevention strategies.
The relationship between alcohol abuse and mental health disorders.
Alcohol abuse and its impact on academic performance.
The societal and economic costs of alcohol abuse.
Exploring the link between alcohol abuse and sexual assault.
Alcohol abuse and its connection to liver disease.
The role of advertising in promoting alcohol consumption.
Alcohol abuse and its consequences on the workplace.
The influence of peer pressure on alcohol abuse among adolescents.
Is alcoholism a disease or a choice?
The effects of alcohol abuse on memory and cognitive functioning.
Alcohol abuse in the LGBTQ+ community: prevalence and challenges.
The role of parenting in preventing alcohol abuse among adolescents.
The impact of alcohol abuse on relationships and family dynamics.
The representation of alcohol abuse in literature and media.
Alcohol abuse and its effects on the immune system.
Alcohol abuse and the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.
The role of law enforcement in preventing alcohol-related crimes.
Alcohol abuse and its connection to prescription drug misuse.
Exploring cultural differences in alcohol abuse patterns.
The impact of alcohol abuse on college campus safety.
Alcohol abuse and the risk of developing cancer.
Alcohol abuse and its impact on sleep quality.
The role of social media in promoting alcohol consumption.
Alcohol abuse among older adults: causes and interventions.
The effectiveness of treatment programs for alcohol addiction.
Alcohol abuse and its connection to homelessness.
The role of alcohol abuse in motor vehicle accidents.
Alcohol abuse and its impact on the developing brain.
The relationship between alcohol abuse and suicide rates.
Alcohol abuse and its effects on fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.
The role of alcohol abuse in the development of eating disorders.
Alcohol abuse and its impact on memory formation and retrieval.
The use of medication-assisted treatment for alcohol addiction.
Alcohol abuse and its connection to child neglect and abuse.
The impact of alcohol advertising on underage drinking.
Alcohol abuse and the risk of developing liver cirrhosis.
The role of education in preventing alcohol abuse.
Alcohol abuse among military personnel: causes and interventions.
Alcohol abuse and its effects on driving performance.
The connection between alcohol abuse and gambling addiction.
Alcohol abuse and its impact on college retention rates.
The role of alcohol abuse in the spread of sexually transmitted infections.
Alcohol abuse and its effects on the developing fetus.
The influence of family history on the development of alcohol addiction.
Alcohol abuse and its connection to mental health stigma.
The effectiveness of brief interventions for alcohol abuse.
Alcohol abuse and the risk of developing pancreatitis.
The role of alcohol abuse in the progression of HIV/AIDS.
Alcohol abuse and its impact on the immune response to vaccines.
The connection between alcohol abuse and intimate partner violence.
Alcohol abuse and its effects on decision-making processes.
The effectiveness of school-based prevention programs for alcohol abuse.
Alcohol abuse among healthcare professionals: challenges and solutions.
The role of alcohol abuse in the development of fetal alcohol syndrome.
Alcohol abuse and its connection to substance use disorders.
The impact of globalization on alcohol consumption patterns.
Alcohol abuse and its effects on the teenage brain.
The role of community support in alcohol addiction recovery.
Alcohol abuse and its connection to child development delays.
The influence of alcohol abuse on sexual risk-taking behaviors.
Alcohol abuse and its impact on the immune response to infections.
The connection between alcohol abuse and homelessness.
Alcohol abuse and its effects on emotional regulation.
The role of spirituality in alcohol addiction recovery.
Alcohol abuse and its connection to adolescent delinquency.
The impact of alcohol abuse on academic achievement.
Alcohol abuse and the risk of developing neurological disorders.
The effectiveness of harm reduction strategies for alcohol addiction.
Alcohol abuse and its effects on executive functioning.
The role of cultural norms in alcohol abuse patterns.
Alcohol abuse among first responders: causes and interventions.
Alcohol abuse and its connection to self-harm behaviors.
The impact of alcohol abuse on the gut microbiota.
Alcohol abuse and its effects on attention and concentration.
The connection between alcohol abuse and food insecurity.
Alcohol abuse and its impact on the endocrine system.
The role of trauma in the development of alcohol addiction.
Alcohol abuse and its connection to adolescent mental health disorders.
The effectiveness of peer support groups for alcohol addiction recovery.
Alcohol abuse and the risk of developing respiratory diseases.
The impact of alcohol abuse on creativity and artistic expression.
Alcohol abuse and its effects on social cognition.
The role of public health campaigns in preventing alcohol abuse.
Alcohol abuse and its connection to child maltreatment.
The influence of alcohol abuse on academic motivation.
Alcohol abuse and its impact on the cardiovascular system.
The connection between alcohol abuse and eating disorder recovery.
Alcohol abuse and its effects on sensory perception.
The role of cultural identity in alcohol addiction recovery.
Alcohol abuse and its connection to adolescent substance use.
The impact of alcohol abuse on the immune response to vaccines.
Alcohol abuse and the risk of developing kidney disease.
The effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions for alcohol addiction.
Alcohol abuse and its effects on spatial cognition.
The connection between alcohol abuse and social isolation.
Alcohol abuse and its impact on the neurobiology of addiction.

These essay topic ideas provide a broad range of perspectives on alcohol abuse, enabling you to choose a topic that aligns with your interests and academic goals. Remember to conduct thorough research and support your arguments with credible sources for a compelling and thought-provoking essay.

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National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)

Introduction.

Alcohol is part of our society. People use it to celebrate, socialize, relax, and enhance the enjoyment of meals. Nearly 90 percent of adults in the United States report that they drank alcohol at some point in their lifetime, and more than half report drinking in the last month. 1 Although most people drink in moderation, nearly 40 percent of U.S. adults drink in excess of the low-risk guidelines established by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). 2 (See “ Drinking Patterns and Their Definitions .”)

Alcohol misuse has wide-ranging adverse consequences. In the United States, nearly 88,000 people per year die from alcohol-related causes; 3 globally, alcohol accounts for 3.3 million deaths—5.9 percent of all deaths—each year. 4 Alcohol misuse also contributes to poor performance at school and work; family problems; unprotected sex and sexually transmitted diseases; violence; memory blackouts; unintentional injuries, accidents, and overdoses; and organ damage and disease. It can lead to alcohol use disorder (AUD), a serious chronic condition that affects nearly 16 million people in the United States. 5 (See “ What Is Alcohol Use Disorder? ”) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that alcohol misuse, including AUD, costs the United States $249 billion per year due to health care expenses, lost workplace productivity, crime, property damage, and other outcomes. 6

NIAAA, a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is the largest funder of alcohol research in the world. For nearly five decades, NIAAA’s extramural research program has supported a diverse portfolio of innovative investigator-initiated research to elucidate the effects of alcohol on health and reduce the burden of alcohol misuse for individuals at all stages of life. This work is complemented by a robust intramural research program that leverages the state-of-the-art resources available at NIH to advance high-risk, high-reward studies in key areas of alcohol science. In addition, through the Collaborative Research on Addiction at NIH (CRAN) initiative, NIAAA is partnering with the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the National Cancer Institute to integrate resources and expertise across NIH to develop a comprehensive, well integrated understanding of substance use, misuse, and addiction that considers the common and distinctive features of addictive substances and substance use disorders (SUDs).

Research supported by NIAAA has spurred tremendous progress in identifying the factors that contribute to alcohol-related problems and the fundamental biological and behavioral mechanisms by which they develop, and it has paved the way for innovative preventive and treatment interventions. Once viewed as a moral failing or character flaw, AUD is now widely regarded as a chronic but treatable brain disease that develops through complex, dynamic interactions among biological, environmental, and developmental factors. This shift in perspective, bolstered by decades of research on the neurobiology of addiction, has helped reduce the stigma associated with AUD and has underscored the need for a multipronged approach to preventing and treating alcohol-related problems, with interventions designed for individuals, families, communities, and society at large.

This strategic plan serves as a roadmap for catalyzing continued progress across the spectrum of alcohol research and translating these advances for the benefit of the public. It highlights NIAAA’s research goals in five key areas:

Goal 1: Identify Mechanisms of Alcohol Action, Alcohol-Related Pathology, and Recovery
Goal 2: Improve Diagnosis and Tracking of Alcohol Misuse, Alcohol Use Disorder, and Alcohol-Related Consequences
Goal 3: Develop and Improve Strategies To Prevent Alcohol Misuse, Alcohol Use Disorder, and Alcohol-Related Consequences
Goal 4: Develop and Improve Treatments for Alcohol Misuse, Alcohol Use Disorder, Co-Occurring Conditions, and Alcohol-Related Consequences
Goal 5: Enhance the Public Health Impact of NIAAA-Supported Research

Along with the goals outlined above, NIAAA has identified several cross-cutting research themes, which are woven throughout this strategic plan.

Address Alcohol Misuse Across the Lifespan

Human biology and behavior change throughout life; these changes affect drinking patterns and risks for alcohol-related injury and disease. NIAAA has adopted a “lifespan approach” to alcohol research that considers how the emergence and progression of drinking behavior and related outcomes interact with developmental changes and environmental inputs across the lifespan, from the embryonic and fetal stages of development into older adulthood. This perspective guides the identification of life-stage–appropriate strategies for preventing, treating, and facilitating recovery from alcohol problems, as well as tailoring resources to the needs of individuals of all ages.

Address Co-Occurring Conditions

AUD frequently co-occurs with other SUDs and mental health conditions, including major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, antisocial and borderline personality disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Individuals suffering from psychiatric comorbidity tend to have a poorer prognosis, higher risk for treatment dropout, less support for sobriety from their families and in the workplace, and a higher risk for suicide. Alcohol misuse also contributes to more than 200 diseases and injury-related health conditions, 9 including alcoholic liver disease. In fact, alcohol is involved in nearly half of all liver disease deaths in the United States each year. 10 Alcohol misuse frequently co-occurs with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), contributes to HIV transmission, reduces HIV screening, makes it difficult to follow complex HIV medication regimens, and contributes to or exacerbates other health conditions in HIV-infected individuals. NIAAA will continue to support research to investigate the relationships between AUD and co-occurring conditions and to develop interventions to prevent and treat them.

Reduce Health Disparities

Some groups of people may be more vulnerable to alcohol problems than others. For example, although Native Americans are less likely to drink than white Americans, those who do drink are more likely to binge drink, 11 have a higher rate of past-year AUD compared with other racial and ethnic groups, 12 and are approximately twice as likely to die from alcohol-related causes than the general American public. 13 In addition, Hispanics and blacks who drink are more likely to binge drink than whites who drink, 11 but Hispanics with AUD are less likely than whites with AUD to receive alcohol treatment at a specialty facility. 14 The lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities are also important subpopulations to consider. Lesbian and bisexual women are about seven times more likely than heterosexual women to meet criteria for AUD. 15 Although rates of alcohol use and AUD among men who have sex with men (MSM) are comparable to rates in the general population, alcohol misuse among MSM is an important public health problem. Alcohol misuse is a known risk factor for HIV, and MSM account for more than half of all new HIV infections each year in the United States. 16 NIAAA is committed to ensuring that all people benefit from alcohol research advances and will support studies to better understand health disparities and develop interventions for at-risk groups.

Advance Precision Medicine

Studies investigating how individual variability in genes, environment, and lifestyle contribute to disease are bringing us closer to developing individually tailored interventions for alcohol-related conditions. NIAAA will continue to support research on the factors that contribute to individual variation in alcohol misuse, AUD, and alcohol-related outcomes. The Institute will use that information to guide the development and validation of prognostic and diagnostic biomarkers and personalized interventions for these conditions. These efforts will be aided by the recent expansion of electronic medical records and the development of mobile health technologies, which have the potential to improve the quality and collection of patient data and to provide comprehensive, personalized health care services where and when patients need them.

Strengthen the Biomedical Workforce

Cultivating a talented and diverse research workforce is essential to advancing the frontiers of scientific knowledge and to translating research findings into practice. NIAAA promotes alcohol research training through individual pre- and postdoctoral fellowships, institutional training grants, and career development awards that span the breadth of NIAAA’s research portfolio. Diverse research teams broaden the scope of scientific inquiry, bring creative solutions to bear on complex scientific problems, and encourage research relevant to the health care needs of underserved populations. Programs to identify, recruit, and train scientists from diverse populations, especially those underrepresented in health research, are an important component of NIAAA’s training portfolio.

Serve as a Responsible Steward of Our Nation’s Research Resources

Underpinning NIAAA’s ability to advance innovative science is an unwavering commitment to responsible research stewardship. NIAAA supports efforts to enhance the rigor and reproducibility of research, including ensuring that sex is incorporated as a biological variable into the design, analysis, and scientific reporting of the studies it funds. This is a critical step toward ensuring that everyone, regardless of sex or gender, benefits from alcohol research advances. NIAAA maximizes the use of research resources by forging strategic partnerships with other NIH Institutes, Centers, and Offices; other Federal agencies; academia; industry; and not-for-profit organizations. Such partnerships provide opportunities to share resources and expertise, and to broaden the dissemination of alcohol research findings. Moreover, by encouraging the use of common research metrics and protocols, as well as the sharing, aggregation, and secondary analysis of data, NIAAA hopes to improve the efficiency of alcohol research and stimulate new insight into preventing and treating alcohol-related conditions.

Drinking Patterns and Their Definitions

What Is a Standard Drink?

Many people are surprised to learn what counts as a drink. The amount of liquid in your glass, can, or bottle does not necessarily match how much alcohol is in your drink. Different types of beer, wine, or malt liquor can have very different amounts of alcohol. For example, many light beers have almost as much alcohol as regular beer—about 85 percent as much.

Moderate Alcohol Consumption

According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 7 which are intended to help individuals improve and maintain overall health and reduce the risk of chronic disease, moderate drinking is up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men.

Low-Risk Drinking for Developing Alcohol Use Disorder

As defined by NIAAA, for women, low-risk drinking is no more than three drinks on any single day and no more than seven drinks per week. For men, it is defined as no more than 4 drinks on any single day and no more than 14 drinks per week. NIAAA research shows that only about 2 in 100 people who drink within these limits have alcohol use disorder. Even within these limits, you can have problems if you drink too quickly or have other health issues.

Alcohol Misuse

Alcohol misuse refers to drinking in a manner, situation, amount, or frequency that could cause harm to the users or to those around them. For individuals younger than the legal drinking age of 21, or for pregnant women, any alcohol use constitutes misuse.

Binge Drinking

NIAAA defines binge drinking as a pattern of drinking that brings blood alcohol concentration levels to 0.08 g/dL (0.08 percent) or higher. This typically occurs after a woman consumes four drinks or a man consumes five drinks in a 2-hour time frame.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), which conducts the annual National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), defines binge drinking for men as drinking five or more alcoholic drinks on the same occasion on at least 1 day in the past 30 days. SAMHSA defines binge drinking for women as drinking four or more alcoholic drinks on the same occasion on at least 1 day in the past 30 days.

Extreme Binge Drinking

Extreme binge drinking, also known as high-intensity drinking, refers to drinking at levels far beyond the binge threshold, resulting in high peak blood alcohol concentrations. Though definitions vary, some studies define extreme binge drinking as 2 or more times the gender-specific binge drinking thresholds (i.e., 10 or more standard drinks for men; 8 or more for women); other studies use a higher threshold that may or may not be gender specific.

Heavy Drinking

SAMHSA defines heavy drinking as binge drinking (based on the SAMHSA binge drinking thresholds described above for men and women) on 5 or more days in the past 30 days.

Certain people should avoid alcohol completely, including those who:

Are younger than the minimum legal drinking age of 21.
Are pregnant or trying to become pregnant.
Have a medical condition that alcohol can aggravate.
Take medications that interact with alcohol.
Are driving a vehicle or operating machinery (or plan to do so shortly after drinking).

What Is Alcohol Use Disorder?

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a medical condition that doctors diagnose when a patient’s drinking causes distress or harm. It ranges from mild to severe and is characterized by clinically significant impairments in health and social function. To be diagnosed with AUD, a person must meet certain diagnostic criteria outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).8 The current DSM (DSM-5) integrates the two DSM–IV disorders, alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence, into a single disorder called AUD. Under DSM-5, anyone meeting any 2 of the 11 criteria during the same 12-month period is diagnosed with AUD. The severity of AUD is based on the number of criteria a person meets—mild (2–3), moderate (4–5), or severe (6 or more).

To assess whether someone has AUD, a health care provider may ask him or her some questions. For example, in the past year, have you:

Had times when you ended up drinking more, or longer, than you intended?
More than once wanted to cut down or stop drinking, or tried to, but couldn’t
Spent a lot of time drinking? Or being sick or getting over the aftereffects?
Experienced craving—a strong need, or urge, to drink?
Found that drinking—or being sick from drinking—often interfered with taking care of your home or family? Or caused job troubles? Or school problems?
Continued to drink even though it was causing trouble with your family or friends?
Given up or cut back on activities that were important or interesting to you, or gave you pleasure, in order to drink?
More than once gotten into situations while or after drinking that increased your chances of getting hurt (such as driving, swimming, using machinery, walking in a dangerous area, or having unsafe sex)?
Continued to drink even though it was making you feel depressed or anxious or adding to another health problem? Or after having had a memory blackout (i.e., forgetting, after drinking, where you were or what you did while drinking)?
Had to drink much more than you once did to get the effect you want? Or found that your usual number of drinks had much less effect than before?
Found that when the effects of alcohol were wearing off, you had withdrawal symptoms, such as trouble sleeping, shakiness, irritability, anxiety, dysphoria, depression, restlessness, nausea, or sweating? Or sensed things that were not there?

Any of these symptoms may be a cause for concern. The more symptoms one has, the more urgent the need for change.

niaaa.nih.gov

An official website of the National Institutes of Health and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

Alcohol Misuse Essays

Essay on alcohol addiction, alcohol misuse among college students, role of drug education to identify and improve the health outcomes, branching paths: brief alcohol screening and intervention for college students (basics), alcohol misuse and psychological therapy on health promotion for young adults with mild to moderate learning disabilities, popular essay topics.

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Essay on Alcohol Misuse

What are the potential implications for public health management of the factors that influence absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination of alcohol?

Having an insight into the metabolism process of alcohol is essential in understanding how the body discerns all the factors that influence the process. The metabolism process of alcohol impacts the metabolism of foods and hormones that affect public health. One of the factors that influence the absorption and metabolism of alcohol is food in terms of its availability and the type available in the gastrointestinal tract when alcohol is consumed (Visontay et al., 2021). The absorption of alcohol depends on the rate at which the stomach empties its contents, where a high dietary fat content will require a longer period to be emptied. The food content affects an individual’s body weight though alcohol consumption does not directly lead to weight gain. Alcohol metabolism also affects sex hormones by altering the hormonal balance in both men and women.

The current BAC for control in public settings and driving, how strong is its scientific basis, and what are its limitations

There is quite strong evidence that an individual’s driving ability is affected by alcohol in the blood. According to Yadav & Velaga (2020), drivers with a BAC level between 0.02 and 0.05 are three times likely to die in a crashed vehicle. This risk doubles with a BAC level of 0.05-0.08 and 11 times with a level of 0.08-0.10. according to Yadav & Velaga (2019), lowering the BAC limit from 0.10 to 0.08 significantly reduces road traffic fatalities and injuries. On the other side, the evaluation of the effectiveness of BAC laws has various limitations. The interventions are quite complex, while the methodologies are also quite difficult. It is thus quite difficult attributing the reduction in injuries that are related to alcohol to BAC.

What are the methodologic approaches in the GBD study to estimate alcohol consumption, and what are their advantages and potential limitations or bias?

Globally, approximately 6% of deaths are alcohol-related. There are various Mathematical models used to estimate disease burden and the cost-effectiveness of the interventions in place to address the burden. The models used in the GBD study include the disease burden and the economic evaluations of the interventions. The models can be chosen as per the convenience, availability of existing data, burden of the work and the economic and health outcomes (Mellor, Hanna-Khalil & Carson, 2020). The methods are advantageous in presenting changes and comparing the illnesses attributed to alcohol. The major limitation and bias associated with the methods are that it is more effective in revealing increased burdens in women than men.

How strong do you think is this result, and what could explain this?

Alcohol is a harmful factor that cuts across the disease burden linked to the high consumption of alcohol. Alcohol consumption is strongly linked to over 200 injuries and diseases such as road traffic accidents, liver cirrhosis, cancer, stroke, infectious diseases and alcoholic cardiomyopathy. According to the GBD study, alcohol consumption shows some level of tolerance to heart disease and diabetes. Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs since alcohol inhibits the production of insulin that should regulate glucose levels. The condition is also directly linked to other complications such as heart attack and kidney failure. Alcohol consumption is also linked to a limited proportion with an increase in tuberculosis and cancer burden of diseases.

The set of recommendations to confront the public health policy influence of the alcohol industry.

In the set of recommendations to reduce harmful alcohol consumption and improve social and health outcomes, the most realistic one that I would consider is leadership, awareness and commitment. This policy is usually accompanied by a set of action, sustainable implementation and evaluation mechanisms. The least preferred policy would be the pricing policy since just a few people will be sensitive to the price of the drinks.

Mellor, D. D., Hanna-Khalil, B., & Carson, R. (2020). A review of the potential health benefits of low alcohol and alcohol-free beer: Effects of ingredients and craft brewing processes on potentially bioactive metabolites. Beverages , 6 (2), 25.

Visontay, R., Sunderland, M., Slade, T., Wilson, J., & Mewton, L. (2021). Are there non-linear relationships between alcohol consumption and long-term health? Protocol for a systematic review of observational studies employing approaches to improve causal inference. BMJ Open , 11 (3), e043985.

Yadav, A. K., & Velaga, N. R. (2019). Effect of alcohol use on accelerating and braking behaviours of drivers. Traffic injury prevention , 20 (4), 353-358.

Yadav, A. K., & Velaga, N. R. (2020). Alcohol-impaired driving in rural and urban road environments: Effect on speeding behaviour and crash probabilities. Accident Analysis & Prevention , 140 , 105512.

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When Substance Abuse and Psychiatric Issues Collide

Co-occurring disorders have taken a toll on celebrities and regular folk alike..

Updated April 5, 2024 | Reviewed by Hara Estroff Marano

What Is Psychiatry?
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Many people have a substance use disorder (SUD) and serious psychiatric issue at the same time.
Experts and the public have struggled with whether drugs caused psychiatric illness or vice versa.
Carrie Fisher and Matthew Perry may have self-medicated over distress, or SUDs triggered psychiatric ills.
Sexual, physical, or emotional traumatic events in childhood increase risks for co-occurring disorders.

Often starting in adolescence or young adulthood, many individuals have both a substance abuse disorder and at least one psychiatric disorder, although which diagnosis came first is frequently unclear. This “double trouble” problem is also called “co-occurring disorders (CODS),” as well as “concurrent disorders” and “dual diagnosis.”

The combination of disorders has been discussed in speculative articles about celebrities like Charlie Sheen, Demi Lovato, Justin Bieber, Jhene Aiko, Britney Spears, and Russell Brand. More in-depth scientific and biographic articles about Ernest Hemingway, Carrie Fisher, and Kurt Cobain have helped explain the complexity of CODs. Some of us were mesmerized and sad watching their struggles. Kurt Cobain’s lyrics, performance, and even some of his songs (like “Lithium” and “All Apologies” ) come to my mind as both a fan and a psychiatrist.

But it’s not just celebrities who are suffering from both substance abuse and mental health issues. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), in 2022 , 21.5 million people in the United States had both a substance abuse disorder and a mental illness.

In the past, experts believed it was best to treat one disorder (usually the substance issue) and assumed any psychiatric issues would sort themselves out. However, if the psychiatric issue persisted, it was eventually treated.

In contrast, current thinking is both disorders should be treated in about the same time frame, because ignoring either could be problematic for the patient. If someone is severely depressed, anxious, or has another psychiatric disorder, it may be possible for them to detoxify from a substance, but it’s very hard to develop longer-term control over substance dependence and any accompanying mental illnesses when both issues are not addressed.

For adolescents and young adults with underlying psychiatric disorders, abusing substances provides an unfortunate early opportunity for incorporating bad learning. For example, if they struggle with anxiety , teens may discover that alcohol calms their nerves, making them less anxious about meeting new people or engaging in social interactions. Early self- medication of psychiatric symptoms is double trouble, as alcohol causes brain changes and effects that can trigger alcohol use disorder (AUD.) Some people describe the first drink as magical, that first taste feeling like the key to previously locked-out relief.

More Intense Treatment Is Needed with SUDs Combined with Psychiatric Diagnoses

Individuals diagnosed with co-occurring disorders often need more intense treatment than others due to the complexity of their cases. They also may face greater consequences from their substance abuse compared to patients diagnosed with a mental illness only. Examples of such possible consequences may include a greater exacerbation of their psychiatric symptoms, hallucinations and/or suicidal thinking, an increase in aggressive and violent behaviors, concurrent medical, nutritional, and infectious issues, more emergency room visits than other patients, and a greater number of falls and injuries.

Those with CODs are also more likely to experience head injuries and physical fights with others as well as sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Some have a greater frequency of involuntary inpatient psychiatric placements. These patients need a psychiatric assessment and treatment from experts in both addictions and psychiatry.

Possible Causes of CODs

One theory to explain CODS, the self-medication theory, was developed by the late Harvard psychiatrist and psychoanalyst Ed Khantzian, M.D. He assumed anhedonia (the inability to experience pleasure) or suffering in general was the driving force behind addiction. This theory hypothesizes that underlying psychological disorders compel individuals to self-medicate their feelings with alcohol and/or drugs. In addition, patients are sometimes distinguished by their drugs of choice. For instance, patients with an alcohol use disorder might have been battling social anxiety and self-medicating with alcohol for performance anxiety, shyness, or nervousness in social settings; stimulants such as cocaine or methamphetamine often are used by those with depression or untreated attentional disorders like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

The self-medication hypothesis was first put forth in a 1985 cover article in the American Journal of Psychiatry. It focused on how and why individuals are drawn to and become dependent on drugs. The self-medication hypothesis was derived from clinical evaluation and treatment of thousands of patients spanning five decades and remains a credible theory.

As I have stated in the American Journal of Psychiatry , it is one of the most “intuitively appealing theories” about addiction. But drugs of abuse and addiction can also cause psychiatric illnesses by targeting the brain’s mood and pleasure systems and inadvertently undermining them.

Neuroscientist Kenneth Blum developed the theory of reward-deficiency syndrome (RDS) as the cause for co-occurring addictive disorders and psychiatric diagnoses. In many ways, RDS is a natural extension of Khantzian’s theory, but it’s an update, attributing the cause to an underlying dopamine deficiency or neurochemical dysfunction that supports drug-seeking/self-medication.

People with RDS, which may be inherited, are miserably unhappy and their lives may be intolerable due to their inability to gain satisfaction from work, relationships, or their accomplishments.

An emerging, newer approach of “preaddiction” as an early or moderate stage of substance abuse is championed by leaders of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), and the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). Preaddiction is conceptually analogous to prediabetes, a risk factor for type-2 diabetes. Prediabetes has contributed to a quantum leap in early detection of people at risk for type-2 diabetes, shortened delays between symptom onset and treatment entry before the onset of diabetes, and overall been a remarkable success in halting progression to diabetes. Similarly, the earliest possible detection of substance abuse will save more lives as experts develop and focus on the evolving concept of preaddiction.

A Possible Environmental Cause: Adverse Childhood Events (ACEs)

In the late twentieth century, a large insurance provider in California worked with researchers to identify adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) that later reverberated in the lives of adults. The researchers found that individuals who reported the greatest numbers of ACEs—such as physical abuse, sexual abuse , loss of a biological parent, witnessing physical violence, and other severely traumatic childhood events—were significantly more likely than those with no ACEs to have psychiatric problems and substance abuse issues in adulthood. They were also at greater risk for suicidal behaviors.

Nirvana's Kurt Cobain was a person with bipolar disorder , substance use and a heroin habit, according to a cousin who described their family history in detail and noted that two uncles had killed themselves with guns. Cobain, who suicided in 1994, purportedly had at least four ACEs, including witnessing domestic violence , experiencing psychological abuse , being neglected, and suffering from his parents’ divorce . Such a score markedly increased Cobain’s risk for suicide as an adult.

Treatment of CODs Should Not Be Delayed

Although an extensive description of how CODs should best be treated is beyond the scope of this article, the key point is to not delay treatment of one disorder in favor of the other. Instead, as much of a simultaneous approach as possible is best. This often means a team of experts is needed, including a psychiatrist, psychologist, therapists, and others to assess the problem, determine whether inpatient, residential, or outpatient treatment is best, and develop a cohesive treatment plan for the patient.

In opioid use disorder treatment, the current standard of care is to focus on prevention of overdose and replacement of opioids with medication-assisted treatments (MATs.) However, detoxification from opioids or maintenance on a MAT would provide little symptomatic relief for a person with opioid use disorder, suicidal ideas, and bipolar illness.

It is also recommended to evaluate individuals for past or recent trauma and co-occurring psychiatric and medical illnesses and treat patients accordingly. Often this means psychotherapy is needed as well as psychiatric treatments. Psychotherapy may include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), motivation enhancement therapy (MET), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and other forms of therapy. Trained and experienced therapists are crucial. Depending on the substance on which patients depend, medication treatment for their detoxification, relapse prevention, and craving may or may not be available. Currently, medication treatments exist for tobacco use disorder, alcohol use disorder, and opioid use disorder.

Summing It Up

Not only celebrities but many people with a substance use disorder have at least one other psychiatric problem, and when this situation occurs, all disorders need to be identified and treated. I recommend professional help in checking for substance use disorders in psychiatric patients and also looking for psychiatric illness and a history of trauma in people with substance use disorders.

Future breakthroughs in genetic and other scientific research should make clearer why some individuals are more prone to such disorders, as well as lead experts toward the best medications, therapies, and other treatments to alleviate much more of this terrible suffering.

Cross, Charles R. Heavier than Heaven : a Biography of Kurt Cobain. New York :Hyperion, 2001.

Gold MS. Dual disorders: nosology, diagnosis, & treatment confusion--chicken or egg? Introduction. J Addict Dis. 2007;26 Suppl 1:1-3. doi: 10.1300/J069v26S01_01. PMID: 19283969.

Buckley PF, Brown ES. Prevalence and consequences of dual diagnosis. J Clin Psychiatry. 2006 Jul;67(7):e01. doi: 10.4088/jcp.0706e01. PMID: 17107226.

Mark S. Gold, M.D., is a pioneering researcher, professor, and chairman of psychiatry at Yale, the University of Florida, and Washington University in St Louis. His theories have changed the field, stimulated additional research, and led to new understanding and treatments for opioid use disorders, cocaine use disorders, overeating, smoking, and depression.

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Should Alcoholic Beverages Have Cancer Warning Labels?

Ireland will require them starting in 2026, and there are nascent efforts elsewhere to add more explicit labeling about the health risks of drinking.

An example of a label that will be added in 2026 to all beer, wine and liquor sold in Ireland, emphasizing ties between alcohol use and liver disease or cancer. Credit... Alcohol Action Ireland

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By Ted Alcorn

Published April 9, 2024 Updated April 11, 2024

Fifteen words are roiling the global alcohol industry.

Beginning in 2026, containers of beer, wine and liquor sold in Ireland will be required by law to bear a label in red capital letters with two warnings: “THERE IS A DIRECT LINK BETWEEN ALCOHOL AND FATAL CANCERS” and “DRINKING ALCOHOL CAUSES LIVER DISEASE.”

The requirement, signed into law last year, is backed by decades of scientific research and goes much further than any country has thus far communicated the health risks of alcohol consumption. It has sparked fierce opposition from alcohol businesses worldwide, but it is also inspiring a push in some other countries to pursue similar measures.

“It’s an important step,” said Dr. Timothy Naimi, the director of the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research at the University of Victoria. “People who drink should have the right to know basic information about alcohol, just as they do for other food and beverage products.”

In Thailand, the government is in the final stages of drafting a regulation requiring alcohol products to carry graphic images accompanied by text warnings such as “alcoholic beverages can cause cancer,” according to The Bangkok Post .

A bill has been introduced in the Canadian Parliament that would require labels on all alcoholic beverages to communicate a “direct causal link between alcohol consumption and the development of fatal cancers.”

Last week, the Alaska State Legislature held a committee hearing on a bill that would require businesses selling alcohol to post signs carrying a cancer warning.

Norway, which already heavily regulates the sale of alcohol, is developing proposals for introducing cancer warning labels. The country’s state secretary, Ole Henrik Krat Bjorkholt, who followed Ireland’s effort with great interest, said in an interview, “I think it’s probable that we will implement something similar.”

Ireland has been a trailblazer in setting aggressive public health policies before. In 2004, it became the first country to ban smoking in indoor workplaces, including bars and restaurants, a policy since adopted in over 70 countries. The warning label requirement for alcohol could be the start of a similar change in how beverages are packaged, and a vehicle for raising awareness about the dangers of drinking, however small the amount.

A long fight

The evidence linking drinking and cancer is well established. In 1988, the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer concluded that alcohol is carcinogenic to humans. Research in the decades since has only strengthened the conclusion, including for breast, liver, colorectal and esophageal cancers. In November, the W.H.O. and the I.A.R.C. declared in a joint statement : “No safe amount of alcohol consumption for cancers can be established.”

Despite this, the connection between alcohol and cancer isn’t well known. In the United States, a recent nationwide survey found that about one in three Americans was aware that drinking increased the risk of cancer.

Globally, only a quarter of countries require any kind of health warning on alcohol, according to a recent study , and the mandated language is generally imprecise. The United States last altered its warning labels in 1989 , when it introduced language that discouraged drinking during pregnancy, or before driving or operating heavy machinery, and that vaguely acknowledged that alcohol “may cause health problems.”

It took over a decade for Ireland’s labeling requirement to become a reality, according to Sheila Gilheany, chief executive of the advocacy organization Alcohol Action Ireland, who described it as “the most contested piece of legislation in Irish history.” She said that the effort began in 2012, when a steering group assigned to address the country’s high rate of alcohol-related deaths recommended a raft of measures, including warning labels.

Many of the recommendations were watered down by the time they became law in 2018, but the labeling requirement made it through unscathed. It took another four years for lawmakers to hammer out the specific wording and the design that would be required.

As those details were decided, alcohol companies stepped up their protests. In late 2022, a group of major alcohol-exporting European countries submitted formal objections to the European Commission, the European Union’s executive branch, arguing that Ireland’s labels impeded free trade and were not appropriate or proportionate to the objective of reducing alcohol’s harms.

When the commission raised no objection, Antonio Tajani, Italy’s foreign minister, called the Irish proposal “an attack on the Mediterranean diet.” The language in the labels “doesn’t take into account the difference between moderate consumption and alcohol abuse,” he said on Twitter .

Coordinated industry opposition

Alcohol businesses are fighting on multiple fronts to keep the Irish labeling requirement from taking effect. At committee meetings of the World Trade Organization in June and November, trade groups and eleven alcohol-exporting countries, including the United States, expressed concerns, questioned the scientific validity of the cancer warning and argued that Ireland’s labels would infringe on free trade.

In comments submitted to the World Trade Organization, the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States called the labels “inaccurate” and “misleading.” The group also suggested that “this important public health objective would be best managed” as part of a parallel effort to address cancer in the European Union, an area where the alcohol industry has proved to have greater influence.

The European Commission was supposed to propose language for alcohol health warnings as part of the its Beating Cancer Plan by the end of 2023 but failed to meet that deadline. In December, over the objections of the World Health Organization , the European Parliament approved a report that did not affirm the need for warning labels, instead calling for information on “moderate and responsible drinking.”

In the final report, its authors repeatedly watered down language about alcohol’s role in disease, narrowly warning only about “harmful” or “excess” consumption.

Size and design

Cormac Healy, the director of Drinks Ireland, a trade group, said that his organization wasn’t entirely utterly opposed to health warnings. But he said that the mandated size of the labels would be impractical for use on smaller products, picking a 50-milliliter bottle up from his desk to demonstrate. And the warning language itself was “disproportionate and inaccurate,” he said, and primarily geared toward scaring people.

“To inform, to educate — you can’t really do that on a label,” he added.

In the United States, alcohol warning labels are typically on the back of the bottle or can, where they blend in with other graphic features. Dr. Marissa Hall, an assistant professor in the department of health behavior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, said that the labels would be more effective at catching a purchaser’s eye if they were on the front, included an image or icon, and featured one of a rotating group of brief messages.

Dr. Hall recently received a grant from the National Institutes of Health to test the impact of stronger design features. When she tells friends about her research, many are surprised to learn the United States requires warning labels at all, she said, because the existing ones so easily go unnoticed.

“They have no idea,” she said.

In the last 15 years, a few countries have proposed stronger alcohol warning labels, but each has been met with fierce opposition, said Paula O’Brien, a professor of law at the University of Melbourne. In 2010, Thailand proposed requiring a rotating group of warnings accompanied by graphic color imagery; O’Brien called it “the high-water mark for alcohol labeling.” But at the World Trade Organization, other countries raised concerns that the labels would restrain free trade, and the measure stalled.

In 2016, South Korea overcame similar objections to mandate a group of warning labels, some of which link alcohol with cancer, that alcohol makers can choose from to put on their products.

Even research on the topic has been contentious. In 2017, Yukon, a sparsely populated territory in northwest Canada, forged a partnership with scientists to introduce and test the impact of brightly colored warning labels, one of which included the phrase “alcohol can cause cancer.” But after alcohol trade groups complained, the local government paused the study out of fear it would face a lawsuit that it could not afford to fight.

“I was a bit surprised about the strength of the reaction,” said Dr. Erin Hobin, a scientist at Public Health Ontario who led the project in Yukon.

When the researchers resumed the study several months later, on the condition that the cancer warning be omitted, they found that people buying alcoholic beverages featuring the labels were still more likely to notice the messages, and reported reducing their drinking. Sales of products carrying the labels also fell by around 7 percent during the intervention and several months that followed.

Most importantly, Dr. Hobin said, as drinkers grew more informed about the link between alcohol and cancer, they also became more likely to support policies for controlling alcohol availability, pricing and marketing, which have been shown to reduce drinking even more.

If the alcohol industry dissuaded the European Union from adopting warning labels, it would keep Ireland isolated and out of harmony with European law. That could ultimately form a basis for challenging the labeling requirement in Irish courts, said Dr. Ollie Bartlett, an assistant professor of law at Maynooth University in Ireland. But he said that such efforts were unlikely to prevail because Ireland’s alcohol warning labels are “proportionate to the objective of protecting public health.”

Observers say the European Union isn’t likely to take any further action until after parliamentary elections this summer. And there’s no indication that Ireland will retreat from its commitment to require the labels starting in May 2026.

Dr. Gauden Galea, a strategic adviser at the World Health Organization, said he was confident that broader labeling efforts would eventually succeed. At 63, he’s old enough to recall how cigarette companies once advertises on the front pages of newspapers, he added.

Eventually, he hopes, “People will not remember the time when you needed a warning on pesticides, but could sell an unlabeled carcinogen like alcohol with impunity.”

The Fight Against Cancer

Colon and rectal cancers are increasing among people younger than 50. Experts have a few ideas about why .

Should alcoholic beverages have cancer warning labels? Ireland will require them starting in 2026, and there are nascent efforts elsewhere .

Risk calculators can offer a more personalized picture of an individual patient’s breast cancer risk. But experts warn that the results need to be interpreted with the help of a doctor .

The human papillomavirus vaccine provides powerful protection against the leading cause of cervical cancer and against a strong risk factor for anal cancer. Here’s what to know about the shot .

A recent study adds to growing evidence that exercise is an important part of preventing prostate cancer , the second most common and second most fatal cancer in the United States for men.

No single food can prevent cancer on its own, but experts say that there are some that may help you build the best defense .

Read our research on: Gun Policy | International Conflict | Election 2024

Regions & Countries

9 facts about americans and marijuana.

People smell a cannabis plant on April 20, 2023, at Washington Square Park in New York City. (Leonardo Munoz/VIEWpress)

The use and possession of marijuana is illegal under U.S. federal law, but about three-quarters of states have legalized the drug for medical or recreational purposes. The changing legal landscape has coincided with a decades-long rise in public support for legalization, which a majority of Americans now favor.

Here are nine facts about Americans’ views of and experiences with marijuana, based on Pew Research Center surveys and other sources.

As more states legalize marijuana, Pew Research Center looked at Americans’ opinions on legalization and how these views have changed over time.

Data comes from surveys by the Center, Gallup , and the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health from the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Information about the jurisdictions where marijuana is legal at the state level comes from the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws .

More information about the Center surveys cited in the analysis, including the questions asked and their methodologies, can be found at the links in the text.

Around nine-in-ten Americans say marijuana should be legal for medical or recreational use, according to a January 2024 Pew Research Center survey . An overwhelming majority of U.S. adults (88%) say either that marijuana should be legal for medical use only (32%) or that it should be legal for medical and recreational use (57%). Just 11% say the drug should not be legal in any form. These views have held relatively steady over the past five years.

A pie chart showing that only about 1 in 10 U.S. adults say marijuana should not be legal at all.

Views on marijuana legalization differ widely by age, political party, and race and ethnicity, the January survey shows.

A horizontal stacked bar chart showing that views about legalizing marijuana differ by race and ethnicity, age and partisanship.

While small shares across demographic groups say marijuana should not be legal at all, those least likely to favor it for both medical and recreational use include:

Older adults: 31% of adults ages 75 and older support marijuana legalization for medical and recreational purposes, compared with half of those ages 65 to 74, the next youngest age category. By contrast, 71% of adults under 30 support legalization for both uses.
Republicans and GOP-leaning independents: 42% of Republicans favor legalizing marijuana for both uses, compared with 72% of Democrats and Democratic leaners. Ideological differences exist as well: Within both parties, those who are more conservative are less likely to support legalization.
Hispanic and Asian Americans: 45% in each group support legalizing the drug for medical and recreational use. Larger shares of Black (65%) and White (59%) adults hold this view.

Support for marijuana legalization has increased dramatically over the last two decades. In addition to asking specifically about medical and recreational use of the drug, both the Center and Gallup have asked Americans about legalizing marijuana use in a general way. Gallup asked this question most recently, in 2023. That year, 70% of adults expressed support for legalization, more than double the share who said they favored it in 2000.

A line chart showing that U.S. public opinion on legalizing marijuana, 1969-2023.

Half of U.S. adults (50.3%) say they have ever used marijuana, according to the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health . That is a smaller share than the 84.1% who say they have ever consumed alcohol and the 64.8% who have ever used tobacco products or vaped nicotine.

While many Americans say they have used marijuana in their lifetime, far fewer are current users, according to the same survey. In 2022, 23.0% of adults said they had used the drug in the past year, while 15.9% said they had used it in the past month.

While many Americans say legalizing recreational marijuana has economic and criminal justice benefits, views on these and other impacts vary, the Center’s January survey shows.

Economic benefits: About half of adults (52%) say that legalizing recreational marijuana is good for local economies, while 17% say it is bad. Another 29% say it has no impact.

A horizontal stacked bar chart showing how Americans view the effects of legalizing recreational marijuana.

Criminal justice system fairness: 42% of Americans say legalizing marijuana for recreational use makes the criminal justice system fairer, compared with 18% who say it makes the system less fair. About four-in-ten (38%) say it has no impact.
Use of other drugs: 27% say this policy decreases the use of other drugs like heroin, fentanyl and cocaine, and 29% say it increases it. But the largest share (42%) say it has no effect on other drug use.
Community safety: 21% say recreational legalization makes communities safer and 34% say it makes them less safe. Another 44% say it doesn’t impact safety.

Democrats and adults under 50 are more likely than Republicans and those in older age groups to say legalizing marijuana has positive impacts in each of these areas.

Most Americans support easing penalties for people with marijuana convictions, an October 2021 Center survey found . Two-thirds of adults say they favor releasing people from prison who are being held for marijuana-related offenses only, including 41% who strongly favor this. And 61% support removing or expunging marijuana-related offenses from people’s criminal records.

Younger adults, Democrats and Black Americans are especially likely to support these changes. For instance, 74% of Black adults favor releasing people from prison who are being held only for marijuana-related offenses, and just as many favor removing or expunging marijuana-related offenses from criminal records.

Twenty-four states and the District of Columbia have legalized small amounts of marijuana for both medical and recreational use as of March 2024, according to the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML), an advocacy group that tracks state-level legislation on the issue. Another 14 states have legalized the drug for medical use only.

A map of the U.S. showing that nearly half of states have legalized the recreational use of marijuana.

Of the remaining 12 states, all allow limited access to products such as CBD oil that contain little to no THC – the main psychoactive substance in cannabis. And 26 states overall have at least partially decriminalized recreational marijuana use , as has the District of Columbia.

In addition to 24 states and D.C., the U.S. Virgin Islands , Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands have legalized marijuana for medical and recreational use.

More than half of Americans (54%) live in a state where both recreational and medical marijuana are legal, and 74% live in a state where it’s legal either for both purposes or medical use only, according to a February Center analysis of data from the Census Bureau and other outside sources. This analysis looked at state-level legislation in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

In 2012, Colorado and Washington became the first states to pass legislation legalizing recreational marijuana.

About eight-in-ten Americans (79%) live in a county with at least one cannabis dispensary, according to the February analysis. There are nearly 15,000 marijuana dispensaries nationwide, and 76% are in states (including D.C.) where recreational use is legal. Another 23% are in medical marijuana-only states, and 1% are in states that have made legal allowances for low-percentage THC or CBD-only products.

The states with the largest number of dispensaries include California, Oklahoma, Florida, Colorado and Michigan.

A map of the U.S. showing that cannabis dispensaries are common along the coasts and in a few specific states.

Note: This is an update of a post originally published April 26, 2021, and updated April 13, 2023.

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Americans overwhelmingly say marijuana should be legal for medical or recreational use

Religious americans are less likely to endorse legal marijuana for recreational use, four-in-ten u.s. drug arrests in 2018 were for marijuana offenses – mostly possession, two-thirds of americans support marijuana legalization, most popular.

About Pew Research Center Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. It is a subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts .

303 Alcohol Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

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The Alcohol Consumption Issue in the United States The consumption of alcohol and drugs in the United States is often influenced by underlying sociodemographic conditions of individuals. The pervasiveness of this use is fueled, in part, by the lack of clarity in distinguishing […]
Alcoholism Issue in Miami Gardens The new data also matches tendencies from the summer of 2020, when the coronavirus struck, when many Floridians resorted to alcohol and other narcotics in the face of unpredictable circumstances.
The Need for Government Control of Alcohol and Cigarettes The production and distribution of cigarettes should be criminalized due to the fact that smoking influences various diseases. It should be remarked that the reasonable use of alcohol can help protect against diabetes and promotes […]
The Effects of Drinking Alcohol While Pregnant However, the study revealed an unexpected association between the two conditions and improved awareness of the devastating impact of protean on development and health. The study evaluated the neuropsychological and alcohol exposure parameter as well […]
Effectiveness of SBIRT for Alcohol Use Disorders in the Emergency Department In this stage, the health practitioner asks the patient three questions regarding the quantity and frequency of alcohol use by employing the AUDIT-C tool.
Alcoholism Causes: Where Science and Religion Converge Although it is difficult to pinpoint a single cause of alcoholism, it is clear that many internal and external factors serve as raw material in the making of an alcoholic.
The Cost-Effectiveness of Alcohol Screening, and Brief Intervention Miami is a highly-populated area; According to statistics, 463,347 people reside in it; Approximately 25% of the population suffer from different forms of addiction and alcohol abuse is one of the leading problems on […]
Alcohol Abuse and Effective Prevention Technique The original presentation and this extended exploration for it discuss the community structure, the essence of the problem and the theory and practice behind the SBIRT approach.
Media Influence on Alcohol Abuse Consequently, many people are likely to watch the advert, and the ad can increase consumption of the product and limit the fight against alcohol problems.
Alcohol Addiction: Biological & Social Perspective At the same time, the UK is one of the most drinking countries, as the average number of liters of alcohol per person there was 11. In addition, taking acetaldehyde dehydrogenase inhibitors allows to break […]
Alcoholics Anonymous Overview When I attended the third meeting, I was among the people who largely contributed to how it is easy to stop taking alcohol.
Researching the Issues of Alcohol in Colleges Lowering the age limit will allow the students to try out alcohol earlier and will reduce the popularity of drinking in college.
Drug and Alcohol Addiction Crisis Among Adults in Baltimore While a lot of the violence in Baltimore is related to the drug trade, the drugs themselves killed at least 180 more people than homicides in the city as of 2019.
Alcohol Addiction and the Role of a Community New Horizons Group of Alcoholics Anonymous is a local fellowship to support men and women with alcoholic problems in Miami Springs.
The Research in the Field of Alcohol Consumption by Adolescents Therefore, at this stage of the discussion, it is important to consider the role of the theory in the five approaches to qualitative research with the purpose to underline the role of theory in our […]
Alcoholic Anonymous Meeting and Impact on Treatment As the name suggests, the meeting was open to alcohol addicts and those who have recovered, members of the public, media, and professionals in different fields.
Alcohol Addiction Among Women Women are a population of interest because of the increased mortality rates from alcohol-related health complications and the effect of this substance on childbearing. Similarly, to the previous organization, Alcove is a recovery facility that […]
Alcoholism Problem Overview Alcoholism is one of the major factors affecting the health of individuals and family relations due to the repercussions of the dependence.
Nuances of Alcohol Using Addiction Despite the traced co-occurrence of criminal activities and alcohol consumption, people argue that there are many positive aspects of drinking moderately, such as relaxation that is useful in many social environments. Goode argues that “for […]
Alcohol Use Disorder: SBIRT Alcohol is widely known to be a harmful substance, but many people tend to underestimate its dangers due to the slow and incremental nature of its effects.
Social Work Related to Alcohol and Substance Abuse The social work of this setting offers services to understand the current point of clients and identify the directions to improve their behaviors.
Predicting Medium-Term Success Among Alcohol and Opiate Dependents The purpose of this project: to establish establish whether the detoxification facility is an important inclusion in the process of getting addicts off drugs.
The Alcohol Consumption Relapse Issues In the case of my patient, she is highly willing to improve her life, and she understands that it is the only path to happiness.
Moderate Alcohol Use Disorder: Treatment Plan The primary tool to help determine the disease’s presence are surveys – CAGE-test, Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, usage of DSM 5 criteria, and others.
Effects of Alcohol. Alcohol-Related Statistics It is also a leading cause of death including both for the chronic drinker and the innocent victims of alcohol-related accidents.
Pinacol Rearrangement and Alcohol Reactions Lab The purpose of this experiment is to use the researcher’s background knowledge on alcohol reactions to explain more complex reactions. The objective of this reorganization is to generate a ketone.
Alcoholism: A Female Patient’s Drinking Profile It had changed her perspective of reality and destroyed her family in a way that each of her children had a health problem leading to death of one child at the age of 10 years.
Moderate Alcohol Abuse as DSM–IV–TR Diagnosis The DSM-IV-TR diagnosis in this case is a moderate alcohol abuse ), which requires a minimum of four symptoms as specified in the DSM.
The Problem of Co-Morbidity: Alcohol and Tuberculosis The problem of alcohol abuse as one of the main factors for the emergence and amplification of tuberculosis is widely discussed in medical circles and social organizations as well.
The Use of Alcohol During Pregnancy Since you would like to understand if it is important for you to stop drinking alcohol, I would say that in case you want to prevent the emergence of any complications for the baby, it […]
Reasons of Alcohol Addiction in Teenagers Given the clinical diagnoses, the wide-spread nature of the problem, and the severe consequences impacting the life and health of millions of people, the in-depth investigation of the causes of the disorder is of critical […]
Alcohol and Substance Abuse There has been “no definitive treatment strategy for alcohol-related intervention with homeless individuals”. Some of the most successful interventions or programs to help homeless individuals with alcohol and substance abuse include the following: Providing both […]
Alcoholic Anonymous: Its Purposes and General Topics Another primary objective of AA groups is for the members to provide support to each other in the process of healing from alcoholism.
Alcoholism in Native Americans Theories suggest that the rate at which alcohol is absorbed in the body of a Native American is different from that of the rest of the U.S.population.
Alcohol Use: Prevalence and Causal Factors Thus, to understand the issue of alcohol use in Australia, this paper examines the prevalence, causal factors, preventive strategies, and then criticizes the effectiveness of these strategies in curbing the use and abuse of alcohol.
European Alcohol Beverage Industry Crisis The instability of the euro, as a common exchange medium and the financial crisis in the Eurozone, has caused severe problems to the company and harshly affected the profitability.
Recall Bias in Alcohol Consumption Epidemiological Studies Recall bias is one of the factors that affect the credibility or validity of the research. The correctness of the answer is usually dependent on the memory of the respondent.
Public Health. Excessive Alcohol Use in the US According to a recent article published in the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, excessive alcohol use in the United States ought to be recognized as a national health problem that is frequently associated with […]
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Overview Tait argues that although the level of drinking of the Aboriginal population is higher, findings indicate that many Aboriginals have the ability to abstain from alcohol more than the rest of the Canadian population. Impacting […]
Reasons People Justify Consumption Drugs and Alcohol The rate of prevalence of drug use is high, and some of the problems that have been quoted in use of these are like high mortality rate and morbidity.
Excessive Consumption of Alcohol Among Adults The legislation should be targeted at providing funds for federal and state health agencies to operate media campaigns on how to deal with factors mentioned in the lower levels of the socio-ecological model.
Alcohol Interaction With Medication: Type 2 Diabetes EM is diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and the doctor advises him to take the prescribed drugs, but to keep of alcohol, due to its negative reactionary effects with medications.
Alcoholism Among the Adult Population in Wisconsin Alcohol dependency, which is an offshoot of excessive alcohol consumption, has been noted to lead to behaviours such as child abuse and neglect, poor dietary habits and absenteeism among the adult population in Wisconsin.
Alcohol Before and After Military Combat Deployment The conclusion of the article addressed the risk in the new-onset of heavy drinking, binge drinking and the alcohol-related crises among the soldiers who return from war.
Alcohol Advertising and Youth This has been achieved by analyzing the relationship graphs of alcohol consumption versus advertising, as well as bans on advertising. One of them is that it only focuses on advertising as the only influencer of […]
Abdominal Pain Caused by Excessive Alcohol Consumption Alcohol can alter the metabolism of various drugs, hence narrowing the choice of drugs that can be used on the patient and this should be explained. The possibility of recurrence should be mentioned and the […]
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives The mission of this agency is to protect the U.S.from the illegal use of firearms and explosives as well as the trafficking of tobacco and alcohol products.
Alcoholic Cirrhosis: Symptoms and Treatment The onset of alcoholic cirrhosis is proportional to the amount and period of ethanol intake. Alcohol breakdown in the body occurs in the liver and partly in the alimentary canal.
Alcohol or Substance Abuse: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual Criteria one deals with tolerance which states that tolerance is a need to consume large amounts of alcohol in order to achieve intoxication, and it is the diminished effect that the substance abuser experiences with […]
Alcohol Consumption and Pregnancy This is not true and medical research show that all beers and wine do contain alcohol and the difference is the alcohol content in the drink and the amount of drink consumed by the pregnant […]
Dual Illness – Depression and Alcohol Abuse The intention of the research paper is to assess if indeed there is an association between alcoholism as manifested by Jackson, and a case of depression.
Alcohol Related Fatal Crashes: The Impact of Tennessee’s Emergency Cellular Telephone Program The author of the article used the data that was collected from the cases that were recorded previously over a period of time.
Examples of Court Cases Involving Alcohol On the day the deed was executed, the plaintiff was driven in an automobile from his farm to Reno, Nevada for the purpose of the plaintiff and defendant being married in said city.
Teenage Depression and Alcoholism There also has been a demonstrated connection between alcoholism and depression in all ages; as such, people engage in alcoholism as a method of self medication to dull the feelings of depression, hopelessness and lack […]
Alcohol Abuse, Behaviour, and Types of Personalities Personality type is a process that assists in the determination of people’s behavior; it however assists in the classification of people into distinct category types.
Social Media Efficiency in Decreasing Youth Alcohol Consumption The purpose of this paper is to discuss the effects and efficiency of social media in raising awareness of alcohol as a health risk factor and decreasing alcohol consumption among youth.
The Main Problems of Alcoholism Despite the overall advance in treatment, alcoholism is still a challenge due to the lack of successful drug efficacy appraisals and pharmacotherapy personalization in patients with AUD.
Impact of Alcohol Use Disorder Social workers play a vital role in addressing alcohol use disorder as they can identify people who are at risk of developing it or fit the diagnostic criteria already and refer them to mental health […]
Prohibition Period in the USA History: Why the Government Was Trying to Ban Alcohol Prohibition was a momentous period in the history of the USA, during which the government was trying to ban alcohol. Naturally, the producers of liquor and owners of saloons protested, but it was surprising to […]
Advancing Alcohol Research and Treatment: Case Analysis Additionally, in the first stages of the assessment, it became apparent that O.K.is not aware of the causes of her alcohol abuse and lacks the motivation to address the problem.
The Risks of Maternal Alcohol Consumption During Pregnancy Certainly, the risk of abnormal development of the fetus depends on the number of alcoholic beverages and the frequency of their use.
Alcoholism and Schizophrenia: Interconnection In addition to its physical effects on the chronic drinker’s body, alcohol is associated with a variety of mental impairments. Alcoholic dementia and Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome are among the most prominent concerns in the matter. The former is a blanket term for a variety of cognitive deficiencies caused by the substance. The latter is a two-stage […]
Alcoholic Dementia and the Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome However, this situation can be problematic because of the nature of the two conditions as well as their interactions. As such, medical practitioners struggle to prescribe treatments that are appropriate to the patient’s situation.
Alcoholism as a Disease Recently, the scientific and medical consensus regarding alcoholism has shifted as the understanding of the underlying causes of the condition has improved.
A Workaholic and an Alcoholic This happens due to the fact that workaholics and alcoholics both tend to neglect their responsibilities at the family level in favor of their engagements.
Maternal Consumption of Alcohol During Pregnancy Should Be Unlawful in Canada Supporting the assumption to make maternal alcohol consumption illegal in Canada, it is appropriate to review corresponding articles that are associated with health and women’s rights.
Personality Issues Among Male People With Alcoholism The main message of the authors is that the personality degradation occurring during alcoholism is directly caused by problems of a socio-psychological nature.
Counseling Theories in the Management of Alcoholics The amount of alcohol he needs to get drunk has been increasing over the years and he spends much of his income on alcohol.
Alcoholics Anonymous Meeting After the analysis of a series of data collected over a fixed six months period, by the concerned members globally, in connection to that, 15% of accidents, 36% of deaths due to fire, and 26% […]
Drug and Alcohol Abuse Among Young People It is evident among drinkers that, when the BACs are low they develop a feeling of elation and when it rises, a feeling of friendliness begins to develop.
Alcohol and Smoking Abuse: Negative Physical and Mental Effects The following is a range of effects of heavy alcohol intake as shown by Lacoste, they include: Neuropsychiatric or neurological impairment, cardiovascular, disease, liver disease, and neoplasm that is malevolent.
Should Alcoholic Beverages Be Legalized for All Ages? Alcohol expectations vary across different cultures and this affects the mode of consumption and the age limit to which alcohol is taken. The loopholes in the law should also be amended to prevent any consumption […]
Why Alcohol Should Not Be Available for Sale in Corner Stores For example sale of alcohol is uncommon in the Middle East countries, where getting it is not easy and consuming it also not allowed.
Dram Shop Act and the Sale of Alcohol Laws were put in place for the accountability to establishments arising out of the self-service retailing of alcohol beverages to clearly drunk patrons or minors. It is clear that the dram act was put in […]
“Drug and Alcohol Findings” by Dufour The main issues which are commonly focused on in this article are the criminal justice system on the drugs, overview of both national and international policies concerning alcohol and drugs, the patterns of the drug […]
Alcoholism as a Psychiatric and Medical Disorder He meets criteria A since he is unwilling to admit that he needs help to fight his dependence, which means that he requires the assistance of an expert to recognize the issue and, therefore, manage […]
Alcohol and Sexual Assault, Health Problems and Alcohol Among Adolescents The reports of the various studies say that 50% of the sexual assault among adolescents is due to the influence of alcohol.
Intervention Techniques Focusing Drug Abuse and Alcoholism A technique of Family Intervention needs the concern, care and supremacy of love to penetrate the denial and start the treatment.
Genetic Predisposition to Alcohol: The Appreciation and Therapy for Alcoholism Through family studies it has been established that the likelihood of alcohol dependence and similar complications happening is more in the families of the individuals who have been affected as compared to in the people […]
Alcoholism: The Disease Is Often Progressive and Fatal According to the definition, the disease is a problem in society, but Colchado argues that if alcoholism is a problem, it cannot be considered a disease.
How Teenagers Can Avoid Becoming Alcohol Abusers Drinking a glass of wine or a can or two of beer during a social event is acceptable and does not impair the physical ability and senses of a person.
Drinking and Alcoholism: Gender Divide in College In general, the purpose of the research was to arrive at evidence-based recommendations for university policy and guidance programs that could more holistically help students avoid binge drinking or alcoholism and systematically cope with the […]
Effects of Drugs and Alcohol Use on Mental Health This paper is a bibliography listing a selection of works discussing effects of drugs and alcohol use on mental health.
The Habit of Drinking and Consuming Alcohol The researcher is of the view that the more a person drinks, the more attractive the members of the opposite sex seem to appear.
Alcohol and Crime in the U.K., the United States, and Australia The present paper looks at the issues of alcohol and the part that this liquid plays in violent crimes and offences in three major countries of the world: the U.
Excessive Alcohol Consumption in Adolescents Dynamisms in the family and peer relationships coupled with alterations in cognition and growth related to puberty play a major role in the onset and escalation of the use of alcohol.
Alcohol Taxation and Its Impact on the Economy This is especially clear in the case of sales and use taxes where the tax is supposedly only nominally imposed on business as a means of collecting the tax from the purchasers.
Drug & Alcohol Abuse Causes, Effects, Treatment First, it is necessary to indentify the age groups, most inclined to drug and alcohol addiction, and ascertain the major reasons for it. The research should discuss the problem of addiction from various standpoints therefore […]
Drug and Alcohol: Use and Abuse Drug and alcohol abuse is a common problem around the world and teenagers are mainly facing this problem of decision making and behavior.
Alcoholism Is an Illness: Arguments in Favor Treating alcoholism as only a social problem is not enough because alcoholism is undeniably a very widespread and severe chronic illness that affects many people around the globe and thus should not be viewed as […]
Alcohol Consumption and Cardiovascular Diseases This is necessary to examine the relationship between individual experience of disease and consumption, and, in the population, is essential to the calculation of attributable risk.
Clements High School: Policy on Drug and Alcohol Need Evans-Whipp and Beyers said that the policy for first-time substance users in the US is notifying the parents or guardians by the school administrator; violation of alcohol and another drug policies would entail suspension, referral […]
Genetic Basis for Alcoholism Further, Genetic studies will help you to understand more about the heritability of alcohol dependence and which will positively help you to explore the correlation of alcoholism to other disorders like major depression.
Analysis of Alcoholic Products Market in Ireland One of the major threats to the alcoholic drinks industry in Ireland is the increase in the number of coffee shops on the high street.
Alcohol Addiction Issue in USA
Critical Issues in Education: Drug Abuse and Alcoholism
An Arbitrary Restriction: Current Minimum Age Limits on the Lawful Consumption of Alcohol Are Unreasonable
Alcoholism: Its Causes and Effects
Cirrhosis: Non- and Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Reducing Alcohol Consumption by Increasing Prices
Depression in People With Alcohol Dependence
Alcohol Addiction: Opting for a Correct Referral Method
Relevant Therapy Approaches: Probationers With Alcohol Addiction
Alcohol’s Role in Military Sexual Assaults
Alcohol Beverage Management Trends
Alcoholic Fermentation and Metabolic Traits
Alcohol Addiction as a Learned Behavior
Alcohol and Smoking Impact on Cancer Risk
Alcohol and Youth Perception
Gender and Alcohol Consumption Influence on a Date
Reducing the Alcohol Abuse Among the Youth
Decreasing Overall Alcohol Consumption
The Problem of Taking Alcohol
Alcohol Abusers and Their Psychological Treatment
Alcoholic Drinks Market Analysis
Alcoholism and Related Issues: Treatment Plan
Alcohol and It Effects on Brain Functioning
Alcohol & Substance Abuse and Medication Treatment
Alcohol Marketing Regulation and Its Effectiveness
Alcohol Abuse, Depression and Human Trafficking
Social Work Against Alcohol Dependency in Military
Alcoholics Anonymous Meeting Analisys
Treatments for Alcohol Abuse in the Military
Drug and Alcohol Addiction: Athletes and Student Leaders
Restriction of the Alcohol Sale at Outdoor Music Events
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
Health Services for Drug and Alcohol Treatment
Alcoholics Anonymous Observation and Group Therapy
Alcohol Abuse for Military-Connected
Pocket Guide for Alcohol Screening
Alcoholic Industry: Beam Suntory and Diageo Companies
Drug and Alcohol Use and Emotional Intelligence
Age Restrictions on Alcohol Consumption
Alcohol Consumption Effects on Cognitive Ability
Prevention of Alcohol Consumption Among Youth
Child Abuse and Neglect: Drug and Alcohol Problems
Alcohol as the Most Common Depressant on Earth
Alcoholism as a Social Issue and Its Effect on Families
Children of Alcoholics and Substance Abusers
Disease Concept of Alcoholism
Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Regulation
Alcohol Addiction and Its Societal Influence
Alcohol Effects on College Learners
Gender Differences in Alcohol Consumption and Self-Rated Health
Excessive Alcohol Consumption Among Older Adults
Alcoholic Hepatitis: Models and Treatment
Alcoholics Anonymous Meetings as Community Agency
Neural Development and Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
Should Marijuana Be Treated Like Alcohol?
Economic Tools: The Alcohol Abuse Problem Solving
Human Resources for the Alcohol, Drug and Mental Health
Stereotype of Aboriginals and Alcohol in Canada
Taxes on Alcohol and Cigarettes as a Healthcare Costs
Alcohol and Drugs in Fatally Injured Drivers
Alcohol Effect on Teenagers Health
Straight Edge Subculture: Hardcore Punk Music and Abstinence From Alcohol
Social Article About Alcoholism Problem by Sanders Russell
Alcohol Consumption in the UK
Alcohol Consumption in Adolescence
College Students Alcohol Drinking Effects
Healthcare: Excessive Alcohol Consumption Among Adults
Drinking Alcohol at Arizona State University
Alcoholic Anonymous Meeting as Group Therapy
Social Issues: Alcoholism as a Mode of Addiction
Alcohol Harmful Effects: Are There Any Benefits?
The Facts About Alcoholism
Substance-Use Disorder at the Workplace: Alcohol Dependence
Under the Influence of Alcohol
Should Abstinence Be the Goal for Treating People With Alcohol Problems?
Predictors of Adolescent Drug and Alcohol Use
The Genetics of Alcohol Dependence
Do Alcoholic People Interact Differently?
Integrated Advertising: America Alcohol Industry Case
Dangerous Effects of Alcohol and Cannabis
Alcohol Abuse Among Elderly
Reducing Drug and Alcohol Abuse: Europe vs. USA
The American Image of Alcohol
Minimum Price for Alcohol
The Effects of Energy Drinks and Alcohol on Neuropsychological Functioning
Women, Alcohol, Self-Concept, and Self-Esteem: A Qualitative Study of the Experience of Person-Centred Counselling
Effects of Alcohol Abuse on Women
The Effectiveness of Alcohol Marketing, Regulation and How It Is Can Protect the Consumer From Fake Products
Definition of Alcohol Misuse (Alcohol Abuse and Addiction) in Youth Population Age 18-29
Social Observation and Analysis of Alcohol Drinking
Non-Alcoholic Beverage Industry
Social Influences on Behavior: Towards Understanding Depression and Alcoholism Based on Social Situations
Problem of Excess Alcohol Drinking in Society
Alcohol Abuse and the Contribution of Economists to Solving This Issue
Abuse in Childhood Common Among Alcohol Addicts
Understanding Drug & Alcohol Addiction
Alcoholism and the Impact Colonization Has Had on Aboriginals
Effects of Alcohol on African American Teens
Diseases Caused by Alcohol Abuse and Its Preventions
How Drugs and Alcohol Affect Pregnancy and a Developing Child
Alcoholism-Nature vs. Nurture Debate
Alcoholism: The Rough Road
Developmental Issues With Adolescents Due to Alcohol Consumption
Alcohol and Alcohol Dependency
History of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)
The Side Effects of Drinking Alcohol
Feasibility of Introducing Alcohol Made in the U.S. Into the Thai Market
Alcoholism Disease or Self Will
Drug and Alcohol Testing
Why Drinking Alcohol During Pregnancy Occasions Unnecessary Risks to Prenatal Development
Alcohol: Should the US Lower the Drinking Age to 18?
Alcohol Problems and Abstinence
Teenage Alcoholism: Parental Influence and How to Get Rid of Vice
Should the Government Attempt to Reduce Current Levels of Alcohol Consumption?
How Does Alcohol Abuse Affect Aging People?
Should the Legal Alcohol Drinking Age Be Lowered to 18?
Are Drinking Motives Universal?
How Has Alcohol Abuse Become Part of the Culture in Many Societies?
Does Alcohol Use Increase the Risk of Sexual Intercourse Among Adolescents?
How Does Alcohol Affect the Brain’s Size?
Is Alcohol Advertising the Cause of Underage Drinking?
How Does Alcohol and Smoking Affect Erection?
Does Drinking Location Matter?
How Does Alcohol Cause Mental and Moral Changes?
Are Visual Impairments Responsible for Emotion Decoding Deficits in Alcohol-Dependence?
How Are Drugs and Alcohol Affecting the Teenagers?
Does Oxidative Stress Induce by Alcohol Consumption Affect Orthodontic Treatment Outcome?
How Far Will Alcohol Consumption Go?
Does Repetitive Negative Thinking Influence Alcohol Use?
How Does Alcohol Depress the Central Nervous System?
Are Alcohol Excise Taxes Good for Us?
How Does Alcohol Affect Human Behaviour?
Do Employers Have the Right to Submit Employees to Drug and Alcohol Testing?
How Does Alcohol Make You Drunk?
Can Alcohol Make You Happy?
How Many People Have Alcohol Use Disorders?
Does Alcohol Consumption Reduce Human Capital Accumulation?
How Similar Are Alcohol Drinkers?
Which Drug Is More Effective in the Treatment of Alcohol Withdrawal?
How Does Alcohol Affect the Human Body?
Should Alcohol and Tobacco Advertisement Be Banned?
How Similar Are Youth and Adult Alcohol Behaviors?
Should Alcohol Drinking Age Be Decreased or Increased?
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COMMENTS

The Impact of Alcohol Abuse: Causes, Effects, and Solutions
The effects of alcohol abuse on individuals are wide-ranging and detrimental. Physically, excessive alcohol consumption can lead to liver damage, cardiovascular problems, weakened immune system, and an increased risk of various cancers. Mentally, alcohol abuse can result in cognitive impairment, memory loss, mood disorders, and an increased ...
149 Alcohol Abuse Essay Topic Ideas & Examples
Alcoholism Among the Adult Population in Wisconsin. Alcohol dependency, which is an offshoot of excessive alcohol consumption, has been noted to lead to behaviours such as child abuse and neglect, poor dietary habits and absenteeism among the adult population in Wisconsin. Dual Illness - Depression and Alcohol Abuse.
Effects of Alcohol Consumption on Various Systems of the Human Body: A
Alcohol abuse along with other associated factors is one of the leading causes of secondary cardiomyopathy . Cardiac arrhythmias get precipitated by alcohol consumption, be it acute or chronic. Heavy alcohol drinking is shown to impact the cardiovascular system in many ways, one of the most important among them being rebound hypertension ...
Alcohol Abuse: Causes, Symptoms, Prevention, and Treatment Essay
Causes. There are two causes that are associated with alcohol abuse which include psychological illness and puberty. An individual who misuses the substance may be doing that due to finding the effects offer relief from a mental problem, for example, depression or anxiety (Treml, 2019). Usually, both issues, that is, the abuse and the other ...
Social and Cultural Contexts of Alcohol Use
The alcohol research literature is overwhelmingly focused on risk factors, from the societal level down to the individual. Worldwide, 3.3 million deaths were attributed to alcohol misuse in 2012 (World Health Organization 2014).Excessive alcohol use is the third leading cause of death in the United States, accounting for 88,000 deaths per year (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2014).
103 Alcohol Abuse Essay Topic Ideas & Examples
Here are 103 alcohol abuse essay topic ideas and examples to inspire your writing: The impact of alcohol abuse on physical health. Exploring the psychological effects of alcohol abuse. The correlation between alcohol abuse and domestic violence. The role of genetics in alcohol addiction. Alcohol abuse among college students: causes and prevention.
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
Introduction. Alcohol is part of our society. People use it to celebrate, socialize, relax, and enhance the enjoyment of meals. Nearly 90 percent of adults in the United States report that they drank alcohol at some point in their lifetime, and more than half report drinking in the last month. 1 Although most people drink in moderation, nearly ...
Alcohol Misuse and Its Impact on Young Drinkers Essay
We will write a custom essay on your topic a custom Essay on Alcohol Misuse and Its Impact on Young Drinkers. 808 writers online . Learn More . The short-term effects of underage alcohol misuse involve manslaughter and brutality, suicidal tendencies, sexual misconduct, unintended death and injury related to driving or participating in other ...
Alcohol Misuse Essay Examples
This essay concentrates on alcohol misuse and psychological therapy on health services or promotion for young adults with mild to moderate learning disabilities. Alcohol misuse is formally defined as consuming levels of alcohol that can cause an array of physical, psychological and social issues, both short and long term (Cochrane Database of ...
Essay on Alcohol Misuse
Alcohol consumption is strongly linked to over 200 injuries and diseases such as road traffic accidents, liver cirrhosis, cancer, stroke, infectious diseases and alcoholic cardiomyopathy. According to the GBD study, alcohol consumption shows some level of tolerance to heart disease and diabetes. Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs since ...
Public Health Issue: Alcohol Misuse
Conclusion. The public health issues on alcohol misuse are discussed in this work. Alcohol misuse is found to be one of the most devastating non-communicable deceases that contributes, or directly causes chronic ill-health, high mortality, violent crime, and anti-social behavior. The epidemiology and trends of alcohol misuse was discussed ...
Alcohol Abuse Essay
The consumption of alcohol can be tied with being a factor in a variety of diseases, disabilities, tragedies, and crimes. An estimate of over 76 million people suffer from alcohol dependence and abuse. Consumption of alcohol can become a serious threat to personal and public health when an individual. 1965 Words. 8 Pages.
Risks, Dangers, and Effects of Alcohol on the Body'
Drinking excessively within a short period of time, or binge drinking, increases the stress on your body and internal organs (and can result in feeling a hangover following a drinking session). High levels of alcohol in your body can result in headaches, severe dehydration, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and indigestion. 3.
170 Alcoholism Essay Topic Ideas & Examples
Alcohol breakdown in the body occurs in the liver and partly in the alimentary canal. Dual Illness - Depression and Alcohol Abuse. The intention of the research paper is to assess if indeed there is an association between alcoholism as manifested by Jackson, and a case of depression. Teenage Depression and Alcoholism.
Alcohol Abuse Essay
Alcohol causes dilation of blood vessels producing a feeling of warmth but results in rapid loss of body heat. Also you have an increased risk of certain cancers, stroke, and liver diseases. If women. Free Essay: Alcohol is the most commonly used drug in the United States. Although the consumption of alcohol by itself is not a social problem ...
Public Health Issue: Alcohol Misuse
Conclusion. The public health issues on alcohol misuse are discussed in this work. Alcohol misuse is found to be one of the most devastating non-communicable deceases that contributes, or directly causes chronic ill-health, high mortality, violent crime, and anti-social behavior. The epidemiology and trends of alcohol misuse was discussed ...
Alcohol Essays Examples
Alcohol Abuse Essay and Research Papers🗨️ More than 30000 essays Find the foremost Essays On Alcoholism Ideas and Topics to achieve great results! Browse Categories; Essay Examples. Essay Examples ... Alcohol abuse effects people of all ethnicities, genders, and socioeconomic statuses and can silently cause serious issues in the human body
The Epidemiology of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
The large number of people consuming alcohol more than the recommended limits, highlights the reality that alcoholism is a major health concern in the UK which can lead to a multitude of serious health problems. Moss (2013) states that alcoholism and chronic use of alcohol are linked to various medical, psychiatric, social and family problems.
When Substance Abuse and Psychiatric Issues Collide
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), in 2022, 21.5 million people in the United States had both a substance abuse disorder and a mental illness.
Should Alcoholic Beverages Have Cancer Warning Labels?
Fifteen words are roiling the global alcohol industry.. Beginning in 2026, containers of beer, wine and liquor sold in Ireland will be required by law to bear a label in red capital letters with ...
Drug and Alcohol Abuse
The dangers of drug abuse are the chronic intoxication of the youth that is detrimental to their societies. Much intake of drugs leads to addiction that is indicated by the desire to take the drugs that cannot be resisted. The effect of alcohol and other hard drugs are direct on the central nervous system. Alcohol and drug abuse is linked to ...
The first week after prison is the deadliest for ex-inmates
Deaths from alcohol and drugs remained high beyond the first week of freedom but were eventually overtaken by the combined deaths from suicides, accidents and disease.
9 facts about Americans and marijuana
Around nine-in-ten Americans say marijuana should be legal for medical or recreational use, according to a January 2024 Pew Research Center survey.An overwhelming majority of U.S. adults (88%) say either that marijuana should be legal for medical use only (32%) or that it should be legal for medical and recreational use (57%).Just 11% say the drug should not be legal in any form.
303 Alcohol Titles & Essay Samples
Alcohol Use: Prevalence and Causal Factors. Thus, to understand the issue of alcohol use in Australia, this paper examines the prevalence, causal factors, preventive strategies, and then criticizes the effectiveness of these strategies in curbing the use and abuse of alcohol. European Alcohol Beverage Industry Crisis.