Helping Individuals who reenter society and consume more than 2 or 3 drinks a day understand they may face various health issues.
If they drink and drive, they are at a high risk of health and legal issues.
According to CDC excessive alcohol use led to about 178, 000 deaths and 4 million years of
potential life lost each year in the United States from 2020 -2021 shorting the lives of people who
died at an average age of 24.
US standard drink= 12oz beer (5% ABV), 8 oz malt liquor (7% ABV),5oz wine (12% ABV),1.5oz 80-proof (40% ABV) distilled spirit
In the United States, a standard drink contains 0.6 ounces (14.0 grams or 1.2 tablespoons) of pure alcohol.
Generally, this amount of pure alcohol is found in
12-ounces of beer (5% alcohol content).
8-ounces of malt liquor (7% alcohol content).
5-ounces of wine (12% alcohol content).
1.5-ounces of 80-proof (40% alcohol content) distilled spirits or liquor (e.g., gin, rum, vodka, whiskey).
Binge drinking, the most common form of excessive drinking, is defined as consuming.
For women, 4 or more drinks during a single occasion.
For men, 5 or more drinks during a single occasion.
Heavy drinking is defined as consuming for women, 8 or more drinks per week, and for men, 15 or more drinks per week.
Drinking in Moderation is 1 drink or less in a day for women and 2 drinks or less in a day for men or do not drink at all in a day.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that adults of legal drinking age can choose not to drink.
Drink in moderation by limiting intake to 2 drinks or less in a day.
Drinking less is better for health than drinking more.
Some people should not drink any alcohol, including those who are:
People with alcohol addiction, younger than age 21, pregnant, or might be pregnant women.
Recovering from alcoholism or are unable to control the amount they drink.
Excessive alcohol use has immediate effects that increase the risk of harmful health conditions.
These are most often the result of binge drinking and include the following:
Injuries, such as motor vehicle crashes, falls, drownings, and burns.6,7, violence.
Including homicide, suicide, sexual assault, and intimate partner violence.
Alcohol poisoning is a medical emergency that results from high blood alcohol levels.
Risky sexual behaviors, including unprotected sex or sex with multiple partners.
These behaviors can result in unintended pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV.
Miscarriage and stillbirth or fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) among pregnant women.
Over time, excessive alcohol use can lead to the development of chronic diseases and other serious problems including:
High blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, liver disease, and digestive problems.
Cancer of the breast, mouth, throat, esophagus, voice box, liver, colon, and rectum.
Weakening of the immune system, increasing the chances of getting sick.
Learning and memory problems, including dementia and poor school performance.
Mental health problems, including depression and anxiety.
Social problems, including family problems, job-related problems, and unemployment.
Alcohol use disorders, or alcohol dependence.
By not drinking too much, you can reduce the risk of these short- and long-term health risks.
Motor vehicle crashes involving alcohol-impaired drivers kill one person every 45 minutes in the United States. That’s 32 people every day.
Thankfully, there are effective measures that can help prevent injuries and deaths from impaired driving.
If you practice the Dietary Guidelines, you can reduce the risk of harm to yourself or others.