Americans dying from alcohol at record rates

More Americans died from alcohol-related illnesses such as cirrhosis and poisoning in 2014 than in the last 35 years – a hike of 37% since 2002.

Figures show Americans are dying from alcohol-related illnesses at the fastest rate in 35 years

According to new government data, last year more than 30,700 Americans died from alcohol-related illnesses primarily caused by alcohol use.

The figures revealed that in 2014, there were 9.6 deaths per 100,000 people as a result of alcohol abuse – excluding deaths from drink driving, accidents or homicides that occurred while under the influence of alcohol.

If taken into consideration, alcohol-related deaths would have been nearing the 90,000 mark, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Duke University professor Phillip J. Cook told the Washington Post alcohol consumption per capita has been rising since the late 1990s.

“Since the prevalence of heavy drinking tends to follow closely with per capita consumption, it is likely that one explanation for the growth in alcohol-related deaths is that more people are drinking more,” Cook said.

According to statistics from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, American adults who drink at least monthly has risen from 54.9% to 56.9% from 2002 to 2014.

This has been more greatly noticed among women, with figures jumping from 47.9% in 2002 to 51.9% in 2014.

Binge drinking among women also rose from 15.7% to 17.4% over the same time frame.