Alcohol poisoning kills 6 people per day: CDC

January 14, 2015
Alcohol use Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Fatality data

Atlanta – An average of six people die from alcohol poisoning every day in the United States, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Alcohol poisoning deaths were not limited to young people, according to the report, which analyzed data from 2010 to 2012. More than 75 percent of deaths involved adults 35 to 64 years old.

CDC said the report highlights the dangers of binge drinking, which is defined as consuming four or more drinks for women and five or more drinks for men in a short period of time.

The states with the highest rates of alcohol poisoning deaths per 1 million residents included:

  • Alaska (46.5)
  • New Mexico (32.7)
  • Rhode Island (22.8)
  • Arizona (18.7)
  • Wyoming (17.7)

“Alcohol poisoning deaths are a heartbreaking reminder of the dangers of excessive alcohol use, which is a leading cause of preventable deaths in the U.S.,” CDC Principal Deputy Director Ileana Arias said in a press release.

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