The Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) recognizes the importance of Alcohol Awareness Month every April due to the high number of alcohol-related deaths each year in the U.S.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, excessive alcohol use is a leading preventable cause of death, and these deaths are on the rise. Between 2016 to 2017, 138,000 deaths were alcohol related while between 2020 to 2021, that increased to 178,000. Additionally, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), says 13,524 people died in alcohol-impaired vehicle collisions in 2022.

“This month serves as an important reminder that customers and licensees need to do their part to limit alcohol-related harm,” said ABC Director Joseph McCullough. “Whether you’re drinking alcohol or serving it, you have to do so responsibly because it can help save lives.”

ABC encourages patrons to always plan for a sober ride home after drinking and to never binge drink. Licensees are encouraged to stringently check IDs to prevent underage drinking and to never serve obviously intoxicated patrons.

Licensees and bystanders are also encouraged to report any signs of excessive or underage drinking to local authorities.

The effects of alcohol misuse are both deadly and expensive. Alcohol is the fourth-leading cause of preventable death in the United States, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAA), and has a role in at least 7.1 percent of all emergency room visits. The financial burden of alcohol misuse cost the U.S. an estimated $249 billion per year. NHTSA estimates that drunk driving crashes cost the U.S. $68.9 billion annually.