April is Alcohol Awareness Month

Just some facts!

Nationally:

• Nearly one fourth of Americans (more than 20 million) abuse alcohol or are alcohol dependent according to a federal survey.


• Slightly more than half of Americans aged 12 or older are current drinkers.


• More than 1/5 of Americans 12 or older participated in binge drinking during the past 30 days.

(Source: National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2007)

In West Virginia:

• Alcohol sales exceed 44 million gallons of alcohol a year. That's 30 gallons per year per West Virginian age 14 and older. (Source: National Institute on Alcohol and Alcoholism)


• Nearly 300,000 WV adults report binge drinking within the last month. (Source: National Survey on Drug Use and Health)


• More than 70,000 underage youth in WV drink each year. (Source: Pacific Institute for Research and Develpment)

The Cost: $1.8 Billion to the state of West Virginia!