In this article, we are going to discuss the 15 states with the most alcohol related deaths in the US. You can skip our detailed analysis of the economic cost of excessive drinking, the impact of Covid-19 on alcohol consumption in America, and the role of ride-sharing apps in preventing drunk driving, and go directly to the 5 States with the Most Alcohol Related Deaths in the US.
There is a substantial amount of evidence that suggests that any alcohol consumption, however moderate, can have negative health consequences. Even low levels of drinking can increase the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and even certain types of cancer. Understanding that there is no such thing as risk-free drinking, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines moderate drinking as 2 drinks or less per day for men and no more than one drink per day for women. Still, despite the well-publicized health risks, more than two-thirds of adult drinkers regularly exceed those levels.
According to the National Institute of Health, more than 178,000 people die every year in the country due to alcohol-related causes, making alcohol a leading preventable cause of death in the United States.
The Economic Cost of Excessive Drinking:
The top 10% of American drinkers, which equates to around 24 million people, consume an average of 74 alcoholic drinks each week. If you break that number out, that means they consume a little more than 10 drinks each day.
According to the CDC, excessive drinking costs the country around $249 billion annually, when combining healthcare expenditures, lost earnings and productivity, criminal justice implications, vehicle crashes, property damage, and more. The federal government picks up roughly $100 billion of the tab, largely through Medicare and Medicaid payments. Several evidence-based strategies can help reduce excessive drinking, including increasing alcohol excise taxes, limiting alcohol outlet density, and commercial host liability.
The Impact of Covid-19:
As the Covid-19 virus tightened its grip on the country in 2020, the hospitality industry took one of the biggest economic hits, but that didn’t mean it became harder to get a drink. With almost every state relaxing its alcohol laws in 2020 in an effort to keep local economies afloat, it was even easier to kick back with a drink after a bad day. All but three states gave liquor stores a lockdown exemption, with many classifying the business – along with grocery stores and pharmacies – as an essential service.
In the first few weeks of the lockdown, alcohol sales for off-premise locations jumped 54% and online alcohol sales had increased by 262% compared to sales data from the same week in 2019. From March to September 2020, there were $41.9 billion in liquor store sales, representing an increase of 20% from the same period the previous year.
Americans drank more alcohol during the pandemic and this was also reflected in the resultant imposts collected by the national kitty. Alcohol tax revenues collected by the U.S. Treasury Department rose by 8% in the fiscal year that ended on Sept. 30, 2021, compared to the previous year, and remained well above pre-pandemic levels.
Preventing Drunk Driving by Ride-Sharing:
Every day, 28 people lose their lives to drunk drivers in the U.S. The impact impaired driving has on our society is emotionally damaging, costly, and often life altering. A new research confirms that using ride-sharing services such as Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:UBER) can reduce the number of impaired drivers on the roads, potentially leading to fewer alcohol-related crashes.
According to a study at the University of Texas, Uber’s presence in a city reduced the rate of drinking and driving crashes. The retrospective study analyzed DUI arrests and serious motor vehicle traumas in Houston between 2007 and 2019. It discovered substantial decreases in both DUI arrests and motor vehicle injuries after Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:UBER) entered the market in 2014.
Another research at the University of California, analyzing traffic fatality data from the NHTSA, found that using Uber saved 214 lives from alcohol-related fatalities and 494 total lives in 2019.
Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:UBER) is placed among the 11 Hot Growth Stocks to Buy Right Now.
With that said, here are the States with the Highest Alcohol-Related Mortality Rates in America.
Copyright: antonioguillem / 123RF Stock Photo
Methodology:
To collect data for this article, we have referred to the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics, looking for the States with the Highest Alcohol-Related Death Rates. The following states have been ranked by their age-standardized alcohol-related death rates in 2019. When two states had the same death rates, we ranked them by their ethanol consumption per capita in 2021.
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15. Minnesota
Average Death Rate per 100,000 People: 12.9
Minnesotans have been known to raise a pint or two. Recent data from the CDC found that over 1,100 Minnesotans died in 2021 as a result of binge drinking. This record figure is an extremely conservative estimate that doesn’t factor in drunk driving and other deaths indirectly caused by alcohol abuse, but it is still more than homicide and suicide combined.
With an excessive drinking rate of 23.5%, Minneapolis was counted among the Drunkest Cities in America in 2023.
14. Nebraska
Average Death Rate per 100,000 People: 13
Although Nebraska ranks among the States that Drink the Least Alcohol per Capita, about one in eight deaths of Nebraskans ages 20 to 64 in recent years can be attributed to alcohol use, according to figures from the CDC. Moreover, approximately 70% of all treatment center admissions in the Cornhusker State are due to alcohol use disorders.
13. Washington
Average Death Rate per 100,000 People: 14.3
Washington sits at number 13 among the States that Have the Most Deaths from Alcohol. However, this is rather surprising, as it is also the State with the Highest Alcohol Tax Rate on distilled spirits in America, at $36.55 per gallon. Such a high levy is meant to keep excessive drinking in control and bring in revenue for various public services and initiatives.
To control the rising death toll, Washington lawmakers are making efforts to reduce the maximum allowable blood alcohol concentration for drivers from 0.08% to 0.05%.
12. Idaho
Average Death Rate per 100,000 People: 14.5
Although Idahans have an average ethanol consumption per capita of only 2 gallons per year, they set a new record for the highest spending on liquor in the last financial year, which ended on June 30th 2023. The state’s residents spend just under $320 million on liquor during the year, with Tito’s vodka dominating the market in the Gem State.
11. Oklahoma
Average Death Rate per 100,000 People: 15.1
Oklahoma’s rate of excessive drinking is estimated at 14.1% and according to the CDC, this excessive alcohol use costs the state about $2.4 billion a year as a result of lost workplace productivity, healthcare expenses, and crime.
The Sooner State is reported to have some of the strictest laws in the country concerning the sale of alcoholic beverages. Until 2018, Oklahoma allowed the sale of beer with only a 3.2% alcohol content by weight in grocery stores. Beer with any more alcohol than that – called ‘high-point beer’ – was only to be sold in liquor stores.
10. Nevada
Average Death Rate per 100,000 People: 15.1
Nevada is one of the states with the laxest laws related to alcohol, and many alcoholic brands, wholesalers, and suppliers use the Silver State to start and grow their brand presence for this reason. It is also the birthplace of many drinks with alcohol as the primary ingredient.
Situated in the south of Nevada is the city of Las Vegas. As one of the most popular party towns in the country, Sin City certainly contributes heavily to the high alcohol consumption in the state.
9. Arizona
Average Death Rate per 100,000 People: 16.1
The number of drunk driving fatalities in Arizona rose from 295 in 2020 to 421 in 2021, an alarming increase of 43%, mostly attributed to the restless boredom spurred by the pandemic.
In 2023, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs proclaimed the month of April to be Arizona Alcohol Awareness Month, to raise awareness of the most commonly used addictive substance in the United States.
Arizona is placed among the Top 10 States with the Highest Death Rate from Alcohol.
8. Oregon
Average Death Rate per 100,000 People: 18.3
Due to the extremely low state taxes on beer and wine, Oregon is a drinker’s paradise. The state boasts more craft distilleries than Kentucky and is second only to California in the number of wineries. With a per capita ethanol consumption of 2.82 gallons in 2021, Oregon is placed among the States that Consume the Most Alcohol per Capita.
7. Colorado
Average Death Rate per 100,000 People: 18.8
In 2022, more than 1,500 people died from excessive drinking in Colorado, a slight decline from the previous year but still significantly higher than pre-pandemic levels.
Although Colorado is famous for its rich brewing culture, the Centennial State was also an early adopter of laws that favored a small-batch, craft distilling industry, and today, it is one of the States with the Most Distilleries in the US.
6. North Dakota
Average Death Rate per 100,000 People: 19.7
North Dakota is counted among the States with the Highest Rates of Drunk Driving Deaths, with a staggering 47% of all motor vehicle-related deaths involving alcohol.
Beer is the most popular drink in North Dakota, with the state consuming almost 20.9 million gallons of the tipple in 2021. The heavy influx of oil workers over the last decade has also contributed to the excessive drinking rates in the Peace Garden State.
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Disclosure: None. 15 States with the Most Alcohol Related Deaths in the US is originally published on Insider Monkey.