The holidays are here! And since drinking alcohol is a part of holiday festivities for many people, it is a good time to be mindful of how it can affect our celebrations and our health.

Alcohol screening and brief intervention ranks highly among effective preventive services based on its cost-effectiveness and potential to reduce clinically preventable burden. Screening for heavy drinking can be done easily and effectively if you make it a routine part of care and use a brief tool recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force that identifies people with unhealthy alcohol use.

It’s Big Game time and March Madness is fast approaching providing opportunities for fans to get together and cheer on their favorite teams. While planning festivities be aware that some guests may choose to celebrate without consuming alcohol. Whether your guests are abstaining because they are driving after the game or have an early morning the next day or because...

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...

Comprehensive Alcohol Research Centers (P60) and Specialized Alcohol Research Centers (P50) NIAAA has released its Notice of Funding Opportunities for their Center Programs: NIAAA has established a nationwide program of Alcohol Research Centers. The Alcohol Research Centers Program complements and is interrelated with all other research support mechanisms and scientific activities that investigate the causes, diagnosis, treatment, control, prevention, and...

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Initial Review Group (IRG) reviews grant and cooperative agreement applications and contract proposals for research projects and for research and training activities in areas of clinical, treatment, and health services research, and in the areas of biochemistry, physiology, and medicine. NIAAA Study Sections and Special Emphasis Panels meetings are closed in accordance...

¿Qué son los trastornos del espectro alcohólico fetal? El término trastornos del espectro alcohólico fetal (FASD, por su sigla en inglés) se refiere a una variedad de condiciones físicas, conductuales y cognitivas causadas por la exposición al alcohol antes del nacimiento (también conocido como la exposición prenatal al alcohol). Estas condiciones pueden presentarse en cualquier momento en la niñez y...

Gary Murray, Ph.D., Kathy Jung, Ph.D., Bill Dunty, Ph.D. Replaces PA-17-220 and PA-17-219 Mechanisms of Alcohol-associated Cancers (Clinical Trial Not Allowed, R01/R21): Expiring September 8, 2020. Purpose This notice highlights interest in receiving investigator-initiated grant applications investigating the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which alcohol increases cancer risk. Epidemiological and biological research has established that chronic or excessive alcohol consumption...

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...

Underage drinking is a serious public health problem in the United States. Alcohol is the most widely used substance of abuse among America’s youth, and drinking by young people poses enormous health and safety risks.

Alcohol’s harmful effects on multiple organs and body systems contribute to more than 200 health conditions and more than 178,000 deaths in the U.S. each year, making alcohol one of the leading causes of preventable death. More than half of the deaths result from chronic heavy alcohol consumption while the remainder result from acute injuries sustained while intoxicated.

The football playoffs are here and the Big Game is one of the biggest sporting events in the United States. This is the day that many people will get together with family and friends to root for their team.

As we move from January to February, some people’s motivation to keep their New Year’s resolutions starts to wane. But it’s a good idea to be mindful of how alcohol can adversely affect our health all year long.

This article was first published in NIAAA Spectrum Volume 14, Issue 2. According to the 2019 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, more than half of Americans ages 18 and older reported drinking alcohol in the past month, and about a quarter of this same group reported past-month binge drinking. To help adults who drink alcohol to better understand...

This article was first published in NIAAA Spectrum Volume 16, Issue 2 . Underage drinking and alcohol misuse by young adults are serious public health concerns in the United States. The 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) found that 15.1% of people ages 12 to 20 and 50.2% of people ages 18 to 25 reported drinking alcohol...

A Wearable Alcohol Biosensor - A Second Challenge Note: The Second Biosensor Challenge submission period ended May 15, 2017. Video: Watch the Biosensor Challenge Video : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frD2xRhoapc 1 st Prize: $200,000 2 nd Prize: $100,000 The Challenge: To produce a prototype of a sleek, unobtrusive wearable capable of monitoring blood alcohol, non-invasively, and in real time. Such a device would...

Harmful and underage college drinking are significant public health problems, and they exact an enormous toll on the intellectual and social lives of students on campuses across the United States. Drinking at college has become a ritual that students often see as an integral part of their higher education experience. Many students come to college with established drinking habits, and the college environment can exacerbate the problem.

Graduation is a time to celebrate. But before your high school seniors begin their parties, take the time to talk with them about keeping events alcohol-free—it just may save a life. No amount of underage drinking is legal or safe. And we know that any underage drinking can lead to consuming too much alcohol, which may result in poor decisions, injuries, alcohol overdose, and possibly death.

NIAAA promotes advancement in several critical research areas with special programs and by participating on select committees. Priority research areas include: Medications Development NIAAA’s Medications Development Program focuses on expanding safe and effective medication options for those suffering from alcohol use disorders and alcohol induced organ damage. The Medications Development Program offers funding grants and contracts to academic research institutions...

You’ve probably seen this warning on medicines you’ve taken. The danger is real. Mixing alcohol with certain medications can cause nausea and vomiting, headaches, drowsiness, fainting, or loss of coordination. It also can put you at risk for internal bleeding, heart problems, and difficulties in breathing. In addition to these dangers, alcohol can make a medication less effective or even useless, or it may make the medication harmful or toxic to your body.