Question

Describe the economic burden of alcohol use and why it is problematic. Include at least three concepts covered in the readings and how they apply to economic burden. Include information from the perspective of someone impacted by alcohol use burden?

Answer 1

The cost of excessive alcohol use in the United States has indeed accounted for around $249 billion in 2010, or about $2.05 per drink where most (77%) of these costs were due to binge drinkingwhich is nothing but drinking four or more alcoholic beverages per occasion for women or five or more drinks per occasion for men. Therefore most ofthe burden weakens the economy of a particular state. Also there are indeed many other costs, such as pain and suffering due to alcohol-related injuries and diseases onthe whole which isnot good for the economy on the whole. The information includes the cost breakouts from the workplace productivity (72% of the total cost), health care expenses for treating problems caused by excessive drinking (11% of total), law enforcement and other criminal justice expenses (10%), and losses from motor vehicle crashes which is something good for the economy.