Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) is the most common substance use disorder in the United States. According to the 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, it’s estimated 11% of the U.S. population has a diagnosable alcohol use disorder. Overall, about one in five people who start drinking will develop AUD at some point in their lives. Research has also shown that the average age for when young people first try alcohol continues to decrease, with current estimates at eleven years for boys and 13 years for girls.
A recent national survey found that those who began drinking before age 15 were more than three times as likely to suffer with alcohol use disorder than those who waited until age 21 or later. Genetics too plays a role, as does a family history of alcohol abuse. And of course, mental health conditions, such as depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder can be co-occurring with alcohol use disorder.
According to the CDC, over time, excessive alcohol use can lead to learning and memory problems, including dementia and poor school performance. Individuals with Alcohol Use Disorder face many challenges; mental health problems, including depression and anxiety, social problems, family problems and job-related issues.
AUD can also lead to reckless and dangerous behavior. According to the 2019 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, high school students admitted to doing the following in the last 30 days: 29% drank alcohol, 14% binge drank, 17% rode in a vehicle with a driver who had been drinking and 5% of those who drove did so after drinking.
As the Ranking Member of the New York State Assembly Committee on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, I am dedicated to working towards substance use prevention, treatment, and recovery. This past session, I introduced a resolution declaring April Alcohol Awareness month to help bring awareness to Alcohol Use Disorder and its treatment.
I also introduced several bills, such as amending the education law to create substance use prevention and recovery resource materials for schools (A9064); requiring schools to include instruction on the prevention of co-occurring disorders as an integral part of their health education system (A9050); and for those victims of drunk drivers, a bill requiring that a defendant who causes the death of a person with children due to driving while intoxicated or impaired, pay for child support (A5559).
Through education and awareness, we can start to stem the use of alcohol by our youth and begin to reduce the number of those who suffer from Alcohol Use Disorder.
Hon. Keith P. Brown
New York State Assembly, 12th Assembly District
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