Alcohol is the most commonly used drug among U.S. adults. Alcohol use is associated with a wide range of health risks and other problems for individuals. But the costs of alcohol don't just affect the person drinking.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), excessive alcohol use costs the U.S. almost a quarter trillion dollars a year. Economic costs are one part of the toll, but there are also other societal issues that are tied to alcohol use.
At a Glance
The real-world impact of alcohol abuse reaches far beyond the financial costs. When a loved one has a problem with alcohol, it can affect their marriage and their extended family. There's also a larger impact on the community, schools, the workplace, the healthcare system, and society as a whole.
How Alcohol Affects Society
Alcohol use can affect society in terms of:
- Economic costs linked to increased healthcare expenses, lost productivity, and legal costs
- Health consequences caused by health problems caused by alcohol as well as accidents, injuries, and violence connected to alcohol use
- Legal consequences, including increased crime, drunk driving accidents, and other issues related to law enforcement and criminal justice
- Family effects, including child abuse, neglect, intimate partner violence, and substance use problems in children
- Educational costs associated with worse academic performance and achievement
Such costs are often linked to those who have alcohol use disorders. According to the 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), 29.5 million people over the age of 12 (10.6% of the population) had an alcohol use disorder in the past year. Estimates suggest that approximately 13.9% of people in the United States will meet the criteria for severe alcohol use disorder in their lifetimes.
However, it's not necessarily people with alcohol addiction having the biggest impact on these figures. It's estimated that 77% of the cost of excessive alcohol consumption in the U.S. is due to binge drinking, and most binge drinkers are not alcohol dependent.
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism states that 140,000 people die each year due to alcohol-related causes. Alcohol is the fourth leading preventable cause of death in the U.S.
Financial Costs of Alcoholism
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the cost of excessive alcohol use in the U.S. alone reaches $249 billion annually. Around 77% of that is attributed to binge drinking, defined as four or more alcoholic beverages per occasion for women or five or more drinks per occasion for men.
The CDC estimates that 40% of the cost of binge drinking is paid by federal, state, and local governments.
The CDC suggests that the most significant economic costs of alcohol use are due to the following:
- Lost workplace productivity (72% of the total cost)
- Healthcare expenses (11% of the total cost)
- Criminal justice expenses (10% of the total cost)
- Motor vehicle crash expenses (5% of the total cost)
The CDC estimates that these figures are all underestimated because alcohol's involvement in sickness, injury, and death is not always available or reported. These figures also do not include some medical and mental health conditions that are the result of alcohol abuse.
Also not included in these figures are the work days that family members miss due to the alcohol problems of a loved one.
Healthcare Expense of Alcohol Abuse
Alcohol consumption is a risk factor in numerous chronic diseases and conditions, and alcohol plays a significant role in certain cancers, psychiatric conditions, and numerous cardiovascular and digestive diseases. Additionally, alcohol consumption can increase the risk of diabetes, stroke, and heart disease.
An estimated $28 billion is spent each year on alcohol-related health care.
How Alcohol Intoxication Increases Injury Risk
Alcohol-Related Aggression and Violence
Along with unintentional injury, alcohol plays a significant role in intentional injuries as a result of aggression and violence. Alcohol has been linked to physical violence by a variety of research studies.
On top of the healthcare cost of alcohol-related intentional violence in the United States, the estimated annual cost to the criminal justice system is another $25 billion.
Impact of Alcoholism on the Family
The social impact of alcohol abuse is a separate issue from the financial costs involved, and that impact begins in the home, extends into the community, and often affects society as a whole, much like the financial impact does.
Research on the effects of alcohol abuse on families shows that alcohol abuse and addiction play a role in intimate partner violence, cause families' financial problems, impair decision-making skills, and play a role in child neglect and abuse.
Long-term alcohol use leads to changes in the brain that affect decision-making, emotional processing, and self-control, making people who drink more susceptible to aggression and violence. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, alcohol makes intimate partner violence more frequent and severe.
As with the financial costs of alcohol abuse, studies have found occasional binge drinking can also affect families. Research suggests that the risk of intimate partner violence rises not only in the context of frequent drinking but also when a partner has consumed a large volume of drinks in one sitting.
If you or a loved one are struggling with substance use or addiction, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.
For more mental health resources, see our National Helpline Database.
Alcoholism as a Family Disease
Alcohol Abuse and Children
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) are one of the most common direct consequences of parental alcohol use in the United States, caused by alcohol consumption by the mother during pregnancy. Children with FAS display various symptoms, many of which are lifelong and permanent.
Children who grow up in a home with a loved one dealing with alcohol addiction may be affected as well; they are at significant risk of developing alcohol use disorders themselves.
Growing up in a home where at least one parent has a severe alcohol use disorder can increase a child's chances of developing psychological and emotional problems.
The Bottom Line
Alcohol's effects go beyond it's effects on individual health and well-being; it also has steep economic and societal costs. The excess use of alcohol leads to billions in lost productivity and healthcare costs. It also has a heavy strain on families, communities, and society as a whole. Increased violence, injuries, accidents, child abuse, and intimate partner violence are all linked to alcohol use.
Challenges Faced by Children of Alcoholics
13 Sources
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Excessive drinking is draining the U.S. economy.
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Alcohol use disorder (AUD) in the United States: Age groups and demographic characteristics.
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Sontate KV, Rahim Kamaluddin M, Naina Mohamed I, et al. Alcohol, aggression, and violence: From public health to neuroscience.Front Psychol. 2021;12:699726. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2021.699726
U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs. Who facts on: Intimate partner violence and alcohol.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Basics about FASDS.
Moss HB. The impact of alcohol on society: A brief overview. Soc Work Public Health. 2013;28(3-4):175-177. doi:10.1080/19371918.2013.758987
Additional Reading
Sacks JJ, Gonzales KR, Bouchery EE, Tomedi LE, Brewer RD. 2010 National and State Costs of Excessive Alcohol Consumption. Am J Prev Med. 2015;49(5):e73-e79. doi:10.1016/j.amepre.2015.05.031
By Buddy T
Buddy T is a writer and founding member of the Online Al-Anon Outreach Committee with decades of experience writing about alcoholism. Because he is a member of asupport group that stresses the importance of anonymity at the public level, he does not use his photograph or his real name on this website.
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