National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)

What Is Binge Drinking? The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) defines binge drinking as a pattern of drinking alcohol that brings blood alcohol concentration (BAC) to 0.08%—or 0.08 grams of alcohol per deciliter—or more. This typically happens if a woman has four or more drinks, or a man has five or more drinks, within about 2 hours...

"Alcohol and your health – where do you draw the line?" is the question asked by the 2003 National Alcohol Screening Day (NASD), a program of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Screening for Mental Health (SMH), Inc., and their partners. On April 10, nearly 4000 sites across...

APPARENT PER CAPITA ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION: NATIONAL, STATE, AND REGIONAL TRENDS, 1977–2022 Megan E. Slater, Ph.D. Hillel R. Alpert, Sc.D. CSR, Incorporated 1 Suite 400 20130 Lakeview Center Plaza Ashburn, VA 20147 April 2024 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Public Health Service National Institutes of Health 1 CSR, Incorporated, operates the Alcohol Epidemiologic Data System (AEDS) under Contract No...

What is the definition of recovery from Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD)? Recovery from AUD Recovery is a process through which an individual pursues both remission from alcohol use disorder (AUD) and cessation from heavy drinking 1 . An individual may be considered “recovered” if both remission from AUD and cessation from heavy drinking are achieved and maintained over time. For...

With a brief intervention, you can help patients who drink too much to cut back or quit alcohol use as needed.

APPARENT PER CAPITA ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION: NATIONAL, STATE, AND REGIONAL TRENDS, 1977–2021 Megan E. Slater, Ph.D. Hillel R. Alpert, Sc.D. CSR, Incorporated 1 Suite 270 22375 Broderick Drive Sterling, VA 20166 April 2023 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Public Health Service National Institutes of Health 1 CSR, Incorporated, operates the Alcohol Epidemiologic Data System (AEDS) under Contract No. HHSN275201800004C...

The first 6 weeks of freshman year are a vulnerable time for harmful and underage college drinking and alcohol-related consequences because of student expectations and social pressures at the start of the academic year. Research shows that students who abstain from drinking often do so because their parents discussed alcohol use and its adverse consequences with them.

Thursday, September 7, 2023

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH NATIONAL ADVISORY COUNCIL ON ALCOHOL ABUSE AND ALCOHOLISM September 7, 2023 NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON ALCOHOL ABUSE AND ALCOHOLISM164th Meeting of the The National Advisory Council on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) convened its 164 th meeting at 11:23 a.m. on Thursday, September 7, 2023, in hybrid format, i.e., both in-person...

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a medical condition characterized by an impaired ability to stop or control alcohol use despite adverse social, occupational, or health consequences. It encompasses the conditions that some people refer to as alcohol abuse, alcohol dependence, alcohol addiction, and the colloquial term, alcoholism. Considered a brain disorder, AUD can be mild, moderate, or severe. Lasting changes...

Alcohol and your health - where do you draw the line? This is the theme of the 2002 National Alcohol Screening Day, a program of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Screening for Mental Health, Inc., and their partners. Free, anonymous screening for alcohol problems, information on the health consequences...

Physicians often fail to counsel their young adult patients about excessive alcohol use, according to a study led by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), part of the National Institutes of Health. NIAAA guidelines for low risk drinking call for men to drink no more than four drinks in a day and no more than 14 drinks...

November 30, 2018

Registration is now open for the 12 th annual National Drugs & Alcohol Chat Day, a live web chat between high school teenagers and addiction and mental health scientists. Chat Day will be held on January 24, during National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week ® , which runs from January 22–27, 2019. Registrations are confirmed on a first-come, first-served basis...

September 7, 2023

On September 9 th each year, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) recognizes International Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) Awareness Day as a reminder that that there is no safe amount of alcohol consumption during pregnancy. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the publication of the first clinical reports by U.S. researchers identifying fetal alcohol syndrome...

Researchers at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia report in today's Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research that children between the ages of 3 and 6 years are likely to dislike the smell of beer if their parents report drinking to escape feelings of unhappiness. The findings extend earlier knowledge that young children acquire sensory learning about alcohol and suggest...

A Clinician's Guide to help patients who drink too much and other related professional support resources.

February 12, 2019

Drugs and Alcohol Chat Day is an annual live online chat held between high school students and NIH scientists. Chat Day is part of National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week ® . During Chat Day students have the opportunity to ask the questions they most want answers to about drugs, alcohol, and drug use, including drug and alcohol effects, how...

Thursday, January 24, 2019, 12:00 am EST

National Drugs & Alcohol Chat Day is an annual live online chat held between high school students and NIH scientists during National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week® . Students from around the country ask the questions they most want the answers to about drugs and alcohol, and expert scientists give them the facts.

Tue, 10/16/2012 - 12:00

Tue, 10/16/2012 - 12:00

Time course and metabolism are important factors According to National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) scientists, existing epidemiologic evidence supporting the relationship between moderate alcohol consumption and breast cancer risk needs further study. “Understanding how and when alcohol consumption increases breast cancer risk is important for a full understanding of how moderate alcohol drinking impacts women’s overall health,”...

Investigators at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio report in the lead article in today's Journal of the American Medical Association (Volume 284, Number 8) that the medication ondansetron may be an effective therapy for patients with early-onset alcohol dependence (alcoholism). Ondansetron appears to work by acting on serotonin, one of the brain's many neurotransmitters. The...

The holidays are a time to celebrate, often with family and friends. Many social gatherings include alcohol. However, many adults partaking in the festivities may not wish to drink alcohol for a variety of reasons.