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1993.09.20 :  Eighth Special Report on Alcohol and Health

Contact:  NIH/NIAAA  (301) 443-3860
September 20, 1993

     HHS Secretary Donna E. Shalala today released the Eighth
Special Report on Alcohol and Health, showing U.S. declines in
per capita alcohol consumption and liver cirrhosis deaths, as
well as increased abstention and decreased heavy drinking across
a broad range of age, sex and demographic groups.  
     The report was prepared for Congress by the National
Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.  It details recent
scientific progress in understanding, preventing and treating
alcoholism and alcohol abuse and their consequences.
     The institute estimates that more than 15 million Americans
18 and older meet standard diagnostic criteria for alcohol abuse
or alcoholism.  In addition, many others are involved in alcohol-
related traffic crashes, or suffer from injuries and other
problems associated with single drinking incidents.
     Alcohol also is a substantial factor in a wide range of
safety and behavioral problems, including domestic and criminal
violence and high-risk sexual behaviors.
     The report says raising the minimum drinking age has
contributed to reduced fatal traffic crashes among persons under
21 years old.  In particular, alcohol-related fatal crashes
decreased between 1982 and 1989 by 47 percent among drivers 16
through 18 and 33 percent among drivers 18 through 20.  Despite
the raised legal drinking age, alcohol remains the most
frequently used drug among U.S. high school seniors.  
     The report also shows that estimated rates of alcohol abuse
and alcoholism in young women are converging with rates for young
men.  
     "The Eighth Special Report documents that heavy and chronic
drinking can harm virtually every organ and body system," said
Secretary Shalala.
     NIAAA Director Enoch Gordis, M.D., said, "Heavy drinking has
been linked with hypertension, weakened heart muscle, and
arrhythmias, and chronic alcohol abuse with adverse effects on
immune, endocrine and reproductive functions, among other
consequences."  
     Moderate drinking may reduce risk for coronary heart
disease, but moderate use also has been associated with added
risk of hemorrhagic stroke, motor vehicle crashes and adverse
drug interactions.
     Alcoholism treatment research, conducted with increasingly
sophisticated study designs, has documented promising
psychological and pharmacological interventions.  In recent
studies, researchers identified pharmacological agents that
appear to reduce alcohol craving and relapse in alcoholism
treatment patients.
     "The ultimate success of treatment efforts lies in
uncovering the mechanisms involved in craving, impaired control
and other disease features of alcoholism," Gordis said.
     In this pursuit, scientists are exploiting new tools in
molecular biology, genetics and neuroscience, including advanced 

biochemical tests, gene mapping and a variety of brain imaging
technologies.
     One of 17 National Institutes of Health, NIAAA is the lead
institute for biomedical and behavioral research on the causes
and consequences of alcohol abuse, alcoholism and related
problems.  NIH is one of the eight U.S. Public Health Service
agencies in HHS.
     The Eighth Special Report on Alcohol and Health will be
available later this fall from (800) 729-6686.  An overview is
available now by mail or messenger from (301) 443-3860.