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Show Alcohol may be most dangerous 'drug' of all When we think of drugs wCjthink of pills or powder. We don't realize that alcohol is a drug in liquid form that is more dangerous. dan-gerous. Alcholism is one of the most serious public health problems in the United States. Among the 18.3 million adult "heavier drinkers" drink-ers" (those consuming more than 14 drinks per week), 12.1 million have one or more symptoms of alcoholism, an increase of 8.2 percent since 1980. Alcohol is the most widely used and abused drug in America. In 1981, the equivalent of 2.77 gallons of absolute alcohol was sold per person over age 14. This is about 591 12-ounce cans of beer, 1 15 fifths of table wine or 35 fifths of 80-proof whiskey, gin or vodka. A tenth of the drinking population consumes half of the alcoholic alco-holic beverages sold. Alcohol abuse accounts for approximately 98,000 deaths annually. This includes cirrhosis and other medical consequences, consequ-ences, alcohol-related motor vehicle accidents and alcohol-related alcohol-related homicides, suicides and nonmotor vehicle accidents. Alcohol is known to cause or contribute to other fatal illnesses, illnes-ses, including cardiac myopathy, hypertensive diseases, pneumonia and several types of cancer. The cost to the nation resulting from alcohol abuse and alcoholism alco-holism in 1983 (the latest figures available) was $1 16.7 billion. The economic impact in 1980 (current dollars) was $89.5 billion. Alcoholism treatment results in reduced health-care costs overall. In a study of more than 20 million claim records between be-tween 1980 and 1983, alcoholic families health-care services and incurred costs at twice the rate of similar families with no known alcoholic members. The average alcoholic's treatment cost was offset by reductions reduc-tions in other health-care costs within two to three years following follow-ing the start of treatment. One out of three American adults - 56 million Americans has had problems because of alcohol abuse in the family. Chronic brain iniurv caused by alcohol is second only to Alzheimer's disease as a known cause of mental deterioration; unlike Alzheimer's, this type of brain injury is not progressive. If the patient stops drinking, the deterioration is arrested and substantial recovery can occur. veloping alcoholism than children of nonalcoholics in the United Un-ited States today, 6.6 million of whom are under 18. Genetic influence is identifiable in at least 35-40 percent of alcoholics and alcohol abusers. People with family histories involving parental alcohol abuse face increased risk. Fetal Alcohol Syndrome is the third leading cause of birth defects with accompanying mental retardation, and the only preventable one among the top three. The incidence is approximately approxi-mately one in 750 live births, or 4,800 babies per year in recent years. Thirty-six thousand newborns each year may be affected by a range of less severe alcohol-related effects. In 1984 there were 44,241 highway deaths, of which 23,500 (53 percent) were alcohol-related. Alcohol-related highway deaths are the number one killer of 15 to 24-year-olds. . About 65 out of every 100 people in the United States will be in an alcohol-related crash in their lifetime. Alcohol is a contributing factor in at least 15,000 fatal and 6 million nonfatal injuries in nonhighway settings. Between 400 and 800 annual boating fatalities involve alcohol. alco-hol. Alcohol is implicated in 65-69 percent of all reported drownings. drown-ings. Alcoholics are 10 times more likely to die from fires than nonalcoholics, five to 13 times more likely to die from falls, and commit suicide from six to 15 times more frequently than the general population. Drinking is estimated to be involved in half of all spouse-abuse spouse-abuse cases, 38 percent of child-abuse cases and 40 percent of rape cases. Fifty-four percent of jail inmates convicted of violent crimes were drinking before they committed the offense. Alcohol is implicated in 62 percent of those convicted in assault and 49 percent of those convicted of murder or attempted murder. Between two and 10 percent of people 65 and older experience experi-ence some type of alcohol-related problem. Approximately 25 percent of the 65-plus population is on some form of medication. By most measures, older people consume more medication than any other age group, putting them at high risk for drug and alcohol interaction. Families in Focus is a new program devoted to the prevention of drug and alcohol abuse in families that are high-risk. For more information or if you would like to volunteer, please call. The toll-free number is 1-800-752-6100. |