Today’s post comes to us from fellow ignition interlock provider, LifeSafer.
Since 1987, the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) has marked April as an opportunity to raise awareness about the perils of excessive alcohol consumption. During NCADD’s national Alcohol Awareness Month, people are encouraged to take a look at their own drinking habits and discover the impact that drinking can have on their health and welfare. This year’s Alcohol Awareness Month theme is “Help for Today, Hope for Tomorrow,” and events nationwide will focus on the treatment and prevention of alcohol.
Statistics show that over 88,000 deaths are attributed to excessive alcohol consumption each year. Additionally, 1.2 million emergency room visits are linked to excessive drinking annually, and that number doesn’t include physician visits due to alcohol consumption. These numbers really add up when you consider that alcohol, and the problems that come along with it, cost the US over $225 billion dollars.
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism promotes Alcohol Awareness Month in an effort to get Americans to reassess their drinking habits because long-term, excessive alcohol consumption can cause liver and heart disease, cancers, sleep disorders and stroke.
If you find you’re engaging in harmful drinking that disrupts your life or the lives of those around you, contact your doctor and inquire as to how you can take a step toward an alcohol free lifestyle.
You can check your local event calendars for Alcohol Awareness Month events near you. One popular annual event in North Carolina is the National Alcohol Screening Day, which provides information about alcohol and health. Learn more, here.