6
Six people die every day in the U.S. from alcohol poisoning according to the Centers for Disease Control.
4,300
More than 4,300 people die every year as a result of teenage alcohol use.
1.3M
As many as 1.3. million underaged youth engaged in binge drinking within the past month.
Our mission
Alcohol.org aims to provide tools and resources to draw attention to the pervasiveness of alcoholism and challenge the status-quo of America’s drinking culture.
We Strive
We strive to illuminate the serious toll of alcoholism and patterns of problematic drinking that daily affect our communities and public health.
We Contend
We confront misperceptions about what alcoholism looks like & the idea that problematic drinking behaviors are benign.
We Challenge
We challenge cultural norms that have desensitized the dangers of problematic drinking and have perpetuated dangerous drinking behaviors.
Understanding Alcoholism
If someone in your family is living with an alcohol use disorder, you and your family are not alone.
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism found that more than 16 million Americans over the age of 18 were living with an alcohol use disorder and about 623,000 young people between the ages of 12 and 17 were struggling as well.
Addiction Treatment
There are thousands of alcoholism treatment centers offered for those seeking recovery. Because not every individual's situation is the same, the type of treatment that will be most suitable for you should be discussed with a doctor or addiction treatment professional. It's important to do your research, ask the right questions, and know what to look for.
Learn moreAlcohol.org is an American Addiction Centers, Inc. subsidiary. Not sure what this means? Learn more about AAC.
Frequently Asked Questions
Find the answers to your questions about alcoholism, alcohol abuse, alcoholics, and other related topics.
- Q. What is Alcohol Abuse?
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Drinking can cross over into the realm of compulsive alcohol abuse as a person begins to drink more and more frequently than they intend to, finding it difficult to quit despite negative consequences to their health, career, or social relationships. Using alcohol as an escape from situations, thoughts, or emotions can also be a sign of problematic drinking, which can make the situation even worse.
- Q. Is There a Safe Level of Drinking?
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An increasing number of treatment professionals maintain that any amount of drinking, no matter how small, may have adverse effects associated with it, despite widespread perceptions of potentially positive health effects. In general, 1 or 2 standard alcoholic drinks per week can be considered "safe" or, at least, not problematic—though even this amount is up for debate. Although there may not yet be an unequivocal answer to questions about the potential consequences of having even one drink, scientists are discovering more and more about this potent substance every day.
- Q. What is Considered Intoxicated?
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While the same number of drinks can affect everyone differently, for public safety purposes, there is a clear legal distinction when it comes to alcohol intoxication. A person is considered legally impaired or "intoxicated" when their blood alcohol content (BAC) reaches 0.08% or higher. This is the legal limit for driving under the influence (DUI) as well as the defining BAC threshold for what is considered binge drinking (i.e., roughly 4-5 drinks within a 2-hour period to reach a BAC of .08).
- Q. Does Alcohol Impact Everyone the Same Way?
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Everyone reacts differently to alcohol. The effects of drinking can vary by age, gender, body weight, metabolism, tolerance, physical health, mental status, and other unique individual factors. Even if two people drink the same amount, they are likely to feel somewhat unique subjective effects as well as experience a differential impact on their respective health and wellbeing.
