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Alcohol's primary ingredient is ethanol, which is produced through the fermentation of fruits, grains, and sugars.

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Alcohol is typically used in social settings, and serves as a depressant. Depending on the amount consumed, the effects can vary:
- When consumed in small doses, it can create a state of euphoria, reduce anxiety, and increase one's ability to socialize.
- When consumed in large doses, it can lead to drunkenness, unconsciousness, addiction, and even death.

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Alcohol is a very popular substance, due to its relatively easy accessibility. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 70 percent of people aged 18 or older had consumed alcohol at some point during 2015, and 86 percent had done so at any point in their lifetimes.

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If consumed in substantial portions, alcohol can become highly addictive. Nearly 14 million adults in the United States overuse alcohol and/or have issues limiting their drinking; nearly 9.8 million men have trouble with alcohol abuse, whereas approximately 3.9 million women suffer from alcohol addiction (Maldonado).

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Alcoholism a Serious Problem

Alcoholism is an extremely serious problem in our world today, meaning that public knowledge and understanding of its symptoms and effects is highly important to reduce the statistics that show rising numbers in its causal injuries, diseases, and fatalities. Education on the effects of alcoholism that result from its use and abuse is one of the best ways to potentially lower the number of individuals who are addicted to and often negatively affected by the drug. It is important that these effects are realized not only by family and friends of those who are dependent on alcohol, but by those who are addicted. An estimated two-thirds of the American population consumes alcohol, but half of all the alcohol consumed in the country is consumed by only 10 percent of drinkers.

Abuse and Treatment Statistics in the US

More People Seek Treatment for Alcohol than Any Other Substance

Ethanol, or alcohol, is the most common drug of abuse among addiction treatment programs, as Recovery Brands revealed with a 2017 survey. The survey reports that nearly 70% of respondents included drinking among the substance problems they sought treatment for, and a shocking 52.87% of respondents sought the most treatment for alcohol abuse. Despite the wide variety of abused substances that individuals seek treatment for, alcohol seems to cause the most widespread harm. Fortunately, there are treatment programs all over the country.

In the United States, nearly 14 million adults, or every one in 13 adults, abuse alcohol or have an alcoholism problem. In addition, several million more partake in risky alcohol consumption that could potentially lead to abuse, and over three million American teenagers aged 14 to 17 have an alcohol problem. Compared to adult drinkers who start drinking around age 21, youth who begin drinking before the age of 15 are twice as likely to abuse alcohol and four times more likely to develop dependence on the drug. In fact, not only have 62 percent of underage high school seniors been drunk at some point, but 31 percent of them when asked will have drank in excess of five drinks over the course of the previous two weeks. The number of Americans aged 17 and younger involved in heavy alcohol consumption dropped by two-thirds between 1985 and 1997; although this number is continuing to decline, underage alcohol consumption is still a problem in the United States.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2009, nearly 51 percent of American adults were current regular drinkers (who had consumed a minimum of 12 drinks in the past year), and 13.6 percent were current infrequent drinkers (who had consumed anywhere from one to 11 drinks in the past year). Unfortunately more than seven percent of the American population aged 18 and up have a drinking problem; this is nearly 13.8 million Americans, and 8.1 million of them are alcoholic. Based on these numbers, it is clear that alcoholism and alcohol abuse are serious problems that affect many people.

The number of people who undergo treatment for alcoholism and other alcohol-related problems is not nearly as high as the number of those facing these issues. In 1997, for example, only 3.1 million Americans received such treatment, and most of them were between the ages of 26 and 34. However, there are more than 3 million seniors in the United States who are alcoholics or struggle with serious drinking problems.

More Men Than Women Alcoholics

Alcoholism and alcohol abuse also seem to affect more men than women; in fact, while there are 3.9 women problem drinkers in the United States, three times as many men(early 9.8 million)re affected. However, women still need to be careful about their alcohol consumption, because according to the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information, they can become more intoxicated than men even if they consume the same amount of alcohol. In addition, data obtained by Wechsler in a Harvard School of Public Health College Alcohol Study confirms that compared to men, women are more likely to experience problems related to alcohol, for example, abusive relationships, unwanted sexual advances, and depression.

Women minority groups are also more likely to experience problems resulting from alcohol use. For example, some lesbians use alcohol to cope with the stigma of being gay as well as with their internalized homophobia, and 25 percent of women who struggle with eating disorder s also struggle with alcohol abuse. Heavy drinking rates are highest among Latina female high school students; this 36 percent consume five or more drinks in a short period. In addition, 13 percent of black students of the same age report heavy alcohol consumption, and 40 percent of American Indian adult women are dependent on alcohol.

Approximately 53 percent of Americans have one or more close relatives who have an alcohol dependency problem. In addition, 43 percent of American adults have been exposed to the problem of alcoholism in the family, either as something they grew up with or something they experienced with a spouse or a partner. Today, it is estimated that 6.6 million children under the age of 18 live with a parent who struggles with alcoholism.

Unfortunately, 79,000 deaths each year in the United States are attributed to alcohol problems, deeming alcohol the third leading cause of preventable death in the United States, preceded by tobacco and diet and activity problems. The number of deaths related to alcohol is fewer than that of deaths resulting from heart disease or cancer, but alcohol-related deaths tend to affect individuals of much younger ages.

Alcoholism

Excessive alcohol uses results each year in approximately 2.3 million years of potential life lost; this is an average of the loss of 30 years of potential production time lost for each fatality.

Not only do alcohol problems cost lives, but it costs money. According to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences, alcohol abuse and alcoholism, occurring in the United States and resulting in motor vehicle accidents, lost production, medical care, violent crime, the need for social programs, and more, cost American society anywhere from $40 to $60 billion each year.

Number of Fatal Incidents

Excessive alcohol uses results each year in approximately 2.3 million years of potential life lost; this is an average of the loss of 30 years of potential production time lost for each fatality. 2005 saw more than four million emergency room visits and more than 1.6 million hospitalizations related to various alcohol problems.

One-third of deaths resulting from alcohol problems take the form of suicides and such accidents as head injuries, drowning incidents, and motor vehicle crashes. About 20 percent of suicide victims in the United States are alcoholic, and 41 percent of the country's fatal traffic incidents are related to alcohol problems. Alcohol-related car crashes occur every 48 minutes in the United States, and there are about 30 deaths each day as a result. Of all of the traffic suicides and accidents in the United States, one half of resulting fatalities and one-third of resulting injuries are related to alcohol abuse. Teen drivers, along with motorcyclists and drivers who have prior convictions for driving while impaired, are the most at risk for being involved in an alcohol-related crash. In 2009, 10,839 people lost their lives in crashes caused by alcohol-impaired drivers; this accounts for approximately one-third of all traffic-related deaths that year in the United States. In addition, over 1.4 million drivers were arrested for DUIs in 2009, which is less than one percent of the whopping 147 million number of self-reported alcohol-impaired driving episodes in America each year. Each year, alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes cost the United States more than $51 billion.

The Consequences of Excessive Drinking

One of the major health issues resulting from excessive drinking is liver disease. In 2009, the number of deaths related to alcoholic liver disease was a soaring 15,183. The number of other alcohol-related deaths, excluding homicides and accidents, was 24,518.

"...about 92 percent of American adults report that they have been involved in binge drinking in the past 30 days."In the United States, binge drinking, which according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, is a pattern that brings one blood alcohol concentration level to 0.08 grams or more. According to national surveys, about 92 percent of American adults report that they have been involved in binge drinking in the past 30 days. Although most binge drinkers are not dependent on alcohol, they are prone to many health problems, which is unfortunate considering that most individuals who partake in this activity are quite young, between the ages of 18 to 20. Ninety percent of alcoholic drinks consumed by teenagers are binge drinks.

Excessive underage drinking has many consequences that affect college students across the United States, whether or not they choose to drink:

Academic Problems: In 2002, of college students who drink, approximately 25 percent reported falling behind, missing class, doing poorly on papers and exams, and receiving low grades as a result.

Alcohol Abuse and Dependence: In questionnaire-based self-reports conducted in 2002 by Knight et al, 31 percent of college-level students that year matched the criteria for an alcohol abuse problem, and six percent showed alcohol dependence.

Assault: In 2009, 696,000 students aged 18 to 24 became victims of assault; the perpetrators in these cases were other students who had been drinking.

Death: According to data published in 2009, 1,825 college students aged 18 to 24 lose their lives due to unintentional injuries related to alcohol.

Drunk Driving: A 2009 study by Hingson et al. published that 3,360,000 students aged 18 to 24 drive under influence.

Health Problems and Suicide Attempts: While 150,000 students struggle with health problems resulting from alcohol use, between 1.2 and 1.5 percent in 1998 claimed to have attempted alcohol- or drug-related suicide within the past year.

Injury: Hingson et al. report that in 2009, 599,000 18- to 24-year-olds in college were unintentionally injured when they were drinking.

Police Involvement: According to 2002 data published by Wechsler et al., five percent of college students, at some point during their four-year degree, become involved with campus police or security as a result of their alcohol consumption. In addition, Hingson et al. confirmed the same year that 110,000 college students aged 18 to 24 were arrested for a violation related to the misuse of alcohol, for example, driving under influence or public drunkenness.

Property Damage: Many colleges in the United States have major or moderate problems with property damage resulting from alcohol use; making these claims are more than 50 percent of administrators from colleges with low drinking levels and more than 25 percent of administrators from colleges with high drinking levels.

Sexual Abuse: Hingson et al reports that approximately 97,000 college students aged 18 to 24 are victims of sexual assault or date rape resulting from alcohol use.

Unsafe Sex: Of the 400,000 college students aged 18 to 24 who have unprotected sex, one-quarter report that they were too intoxicated at the time to know whether they had provided their consent.

Vandalism: Eleven percent of college drinks admit to having damaged property while they were under the influence of alcohol.

How does it Affect Crime

Of the aforementioned consequences, it is clear that there is a strong relationship between crime and alcohol use. About three million violent crimes occur annually in the United States, and of those, 35 percent involve an offender who is drinking at the time of offense. Two-thirds of victims who have suffered domestic or partner violence reported there had been alcohol involved. In such cases, three out of four spousal violence incidents involved an offender who had been under the influence of alcohol. The FBI's National Incident-Based Reporting System showed that in 1995, seven out of 10 violent incidents involving alcohol occurred in a residence, most often at 11 p.m.

Severe Health Problems

The health problems related to alcohol abuse and alcoholism vary, but they are of great concern because of their severity. For example, in a Harvard Medical School study, a link was shown between moderate drinking and breast cancer in more than 100,000 women. In addition, 9.6 percent of American adults living with mental health disorders are dependent on alcohol. In addition to disrupting one's sleep cycle, which can deplete your energy and, over time, your brain cells, excessive drinking can also result in the brain blocking its ability to learn and create new memories. In addition, alcohol users who partake in binge drinking can potentially eliminate their ability to recall new verbal information because it can negatively affect their verbal declarative memory.

Although the United States falls in 32nd place on the list of the world's top alcohol consuming countries, alcohol-related problems are a serious concern for the country because they can affect everyone. In fact, a government survey reports that addiction to alcohol lasts longer than addiction to any other drug; therefore it must be taken seriously. Call our helpline at to begin recovering from substance abuse today.

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Drug and Alcoholism Statistics and Data Sources

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Alcoholism is an extremely serious problem in our world today, meaning that public knowledge and understanding of its symptoms and effects is highly important to reduce the statistics that show rising numbers in its causal injuries, diseases, and fatalities.

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Many who suffer from alcoholism refuse to seek treatment until they have experienced some type of intervention following an incident caused by alcohol, such as an arrest, hospitalization, or an accident (American Addiction Centers). After this, they have several options of treatment centers around the country, including Awakenings Rehabilitation in Albion.

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Top Rated Treatment Centers in the US | Rehabs and Drug Rehab Options

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Drug and alcohol addiction can have lasting effects on many facets of an individual's life. Selecting a top rehab isn't a decision to be arrived at lightly and, furthermore, shouldn't be restricted by how close to home a particular facility is.

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On May 9, Michigan's Regulatory Reform Committee voted to pass a bill that would ban the sale of alcoholic beverages infused with marijuana. The author of the bill, Senator Rick Jones, believes the law is necessary due to his belief that marijuana will be legalized this year; on the contrary, Rick Thompson of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws believes that the law will have no effect on Michigan residents.

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LANSING - The production, sale and use of marijuana-infused beer, wine and spirits would be banned under a bill that unanimously passed the Senate Regulatory Reform Committee on Wednesday.

Sen. Rick Jones, R-Grand Ledge, said the bill is necessary as Michigan voters may soon vote on whether to legalize marijuana for adult recreational use.

"This is happening in Colorado and should the ballot proposal pass in November, we're going to end up with it here," Jones said. "It's a recipe for disaster."

More: Detroit named among world's Top 50 cities for nightlife

More: How 'dank' became a compliment for both beer and marijuana

Colorado is the only state that allows for marijuana-infused beer, but it's only a nonalcoholic version made by the inventor of the popular Blue Moon beer. There is also nonalcoholic wine that has been infused with marijuana.

There are a wide variety of marijuana-infused edible products on the market, including gummies, baked goods, juices, gum, even dog treats. There are some marijuana-infused craft beers and wines that contain cannabidiol for flavor, but not the THC, which produces the "high" that attracts many marijuana users..

Under Jones' bill - SB 969 - no part of the marijuana plant could be infused into beer or other alcoholic drinks for sale in Michigan.

Jones cited liability for bars and restaurants who might serve marijuana infused alcohol without knowing the effects. And he said that Michigan has a zero-tolerance policy for people who are found to be driving under the influence of marijuana.

But Rick Thompson, a board member of the Michigan chapter of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws or NORML, said the proposed law is a solution to a problem that doesn't exist in Michigan because state law is clear that marijuana dispensaries can't sell alcohol and party stores aren't allowed to sell marijuana.

"This would affect zero people in Michigan," he said, adding that Canada and California are taking a more progressive approach by funding research on cannabis-infused drinks.

Which prompted Jones, who doesn't support legalization of marijuana, to quip: "I'm so happy that instead of becoming stoners in Michigan, people will go to Canada or California instead."

Michigan voters approved medical marijuana in 2008 and are poised to consider a ballot proposal to fully legalize marijuana for adult recreational use during the Nov. 6 general election.

The bill - SB 969 - now moves to the full Senate for consideration.
Contact Kathleen Gray: 313-223-4430, kgray99@freepress.com or on Twitter @michpoligal.
Read or Share this story: https://on.freep.com/2rvXxlt

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Michigan Senate panel wants to ban marijuana-infused beer, wine

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LANSING - The production, sale and use of marijuana-infused beer, wine and spirits would be banned under a bill that unanimously passed the Senate Regulatory Reform Committee on Wednesday. Sen. Rick Jones, R-Grand Ledge, said the bill is necessary as Michigan voters may soon vote on whether to legalize marijuana for adult recreational use.

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A report from Washington D.C. states that Canada is dominating the global marijuana trade market.They are exporting their goods to several countries on multiple continents, and people feel safer investing in Canadian marijuana-growing companies than they do in American ones, due to their experience with the industry. Investments in these companies amounted to over $1.2 billion in 2016.

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Canada's rapidly growing cannabis industry now dominates the global trade in legal marijuana, says a report from a Washington, D. C., data analytics firm.

The companies that are frantically building growing facilities to supply Canadians with marijuana are also in a unique position to sell their products and expertise around the world, says the report from New Frontier Data. The independent research firm's report provides a snapshot of Canada's cannabis industry.

Canadian cannabis companies are exporting their products to countries on multiple continents, the report notes.

"Canadian (companies) are allowed to export abroad, making them some of the first companies in the world to sign international cannabis trade deals," says the report.

Canadian companies have a head start in the global cannabis marketplace, and few rivals. "Canada stands alone in terms of scope and importance on the world stage."

A major factor giving Canadian companies a boost is the restrictions in place in the U.S. While some states have legalized marijuana for medical or recreational use, or both, the drug is still illegal at the federal level.

It's difficult for U.S. cannabis companies to find investors or even banks that will take their business, the report notes.

In contrast, Canada is seen as a "safe haven" for investors and a proving ground for large, national-scale cannabis operations, says the report. Canadian companies are building cannabis operations that dwarf those in the U.S. in terms of size and production capacity, it says.

Many Canadians don't realize that our cannabis companies have become "the monsters in this sector," says Cam Battley, the chief corporate officer for Aurora, one of the largest companies. "We are inventing the global cannabis industry."

Globally, there is a massive excess of demand over supply for legal, regulated medical cannabis, says Battley. Canadian companies have little competition in supplying it, he said.

Canadian companies are growing on a massive scale, have attracted significant investments and are developing sophisticated technology, says Battley.

And it has happened almost overnight.

The Canadian industry only started developing in 2014, when Health Canada decided to issue licences to private companies to grow medical marijuana.

The industry exploded after the federal government promised to legalize recreational pot.

Battley gives a personal example: When he began working at Aurora in 2016, the company had 35 employees. Today, there are 850 employees around the world. Aurora has investments, production facilities or supply agreements in Germany, Italy, Denmark, Australia, the Cayman Islands and South Africa, according to a company report released Tuesday.

There are 59 cannabis companies listed on the Canadian stock exchange, according to the New Frontier report. The only other country that has publicly listed cannabis companies is Australia, and its industry is at least three or four years behind the Canadian giants, says Battley.

The New Frontier report documents the money pouring into Canadian cannabis companies. At least $1.23 billion was invested in the industry in the first five weeks of 2018 alone, says the report. The largest single investment during that time was the $121.1 million raised by Gatineau's Hydropothecary.

In comparison, the investments tracked in Canadian cannabis companies in all of 2016 totalled $1.29 billion, the report noted.

The investments have allowed Canadian companies to build operations that dwarf those in the U.S. in terms of size and production capacity, says the report.

Big American alcohol and tobacco companies have invested in Canada, too.

Constellation Brands, the beverage company that makes Corona Beer, became the first Fortune 500 company to invest in cannabis when it bought a 9.9 per cent stake in Canopy Growth Corp., based in Smiths Falls, for $245 million. Alliance One, a tobacco company in North Carolina, bought stakes in Canadian cannabis companies Island Garden and GoldLeaf Pharm Inc., the report noted.

The fact that American companies are investing in them will give Canadian companies a strategic advantage in infrastructure and operational capacity that will make it more difficult for American companies to compete if the U.S. ever lifts its federal prohibition on cannabis, the report says.

A few large companies, such as Aurora and Canopy Growth Corp., dominate the Canadian industry. The trend is toward consolidation, with larger companies gobbling up rivals as well as promising startups that are near the end of the arduous process for receiving a licence from Health Canada.

The report also provides an estimate of how much cannabis Canadians will consume, and how quickly the black market that now supplies the vast majority of marijuana will be squeezed out.

The total demand for cannabis is estimated at $8.6 billion this year, the report said. The vast majority of that is bought on the black market. By 2025, the report estimates that demand will rise to $9.21 billion, with the majority of that total bought in the legal recreational market.

As a comparison, Canadians spend $9.2 billion a year on beer, $7 billion on wine and $5.1 billion on spirits, according to Statistics Canada data from 2015-16.
jmiller@postmedia.com
twitter.com/JacquieAMiller

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Canadian companies dominate global marijuana trade, says report

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Canada's rapidly growing cannabis industry now dominates the global trade in legal marijuana, says a report from a Washington, D. C., data analytics firm. The companies that are frantically building growing facilities to supply Canadians with marijuana are also in a unique position to sell their products and expertise around the world, says the report from New Frontier Data.

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“Alcohol Facts and Statistics.” National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, June 2017, www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-health/overview-alcohol-consumption/alcohol-facts-and-statistics. Accessed 10 May 2018.

“Alcoholism Treatment: Addiction Signs, Causes, & Recovery Information.” American Addiction Centers, americanaddictioncenters.org/alcoholism-treatment/. Accessed 11 May 2018.

Maldanado, Lizmarie. “Drug and Alcoholism Statistics and Data Sources.” Project Know, 1 May 2018, www.projectknow.com/research/drug-addiction-statistics-alcoholism-statistics/. Accessed 10 May 2018.