In the near future, we will be introducing a resolution designating April 2025 as “Alcohol Awareness Month” in Pennsylvania.

Most adults in the United States who drink alcohol do so moderately and without complications. At the same time, however, alcohol consumption and its associated negative effects remain one of the most significant public health crises facing the nation.

Excessive drinking in the short-term causes mental and physical impairment along with erratic and impulsive decision-making that can lead to interpersonal conflict, injury, and death, especially when paired with activities that require concentration such as driving. In the long-term, alcohol contributes to the development of high blood pressure, heart disease, liver disease, stroke, various cancers, weakened immune response, depression and anxiety, and dependence.

According to the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, alcohol use disorder (AUD) affects about 28.8 million adults in the United States and a further 750,000 boys and girls under the age of 18.  An estimated 140,000 people die from alcohol-related causes annually, making alcohol the fourth-leading preventable cause of death in the nation according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. To put this in perspective, the total number of drug overdoses reported nationally was approximately 105,000 in 2022 according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In response to this longstanding public health issue, the National Council on Alcohol and Drug Dependence has sponsored Alcohol Awareness Month each April since 1987 to increase public awareness and understanding, reduce the stigma of seeking help, and encourage local communities to focus on alcohol use disorder and alcohol-related issues. We intend to promote these same goals across Pennsylvania in April 2025 and beyond.

Please join us in co-sponsoring this important resolution to raise awareness and encourage the prevention of Alcohol Use Disorder.