Governor Proclaims Alcohol Awareness Month 2021

WHEREAS, across our state and nation, alcohol misuse is a major public health problem that affects people of all ages, races, and ethnic backgrounds; and

WHEREAS, the level of excessive drinking in North Carolina has been trending up based on measurements made from 2012-2017; excessive drinking is defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as binge drinking, heavy drinking, and any drinking by pregnant women or people younger than age 21; and

WHEREAS, excessive alcohol consumption is associated with risky behavior, violence, suicide, homicide, and vehicular accidents; it is the third leading cause of preventable death in North Carolina; and

WHEREAS, in 2017 an estimated 4,000 people died from alcohol-related causes in North Carolina and approximately 33,000 people were admitted to North Carolina emergency rooms for alcohol-related issues; and

WHEREAS, excessive alcohol consumption in North Carolina costs over $7 billion a year in health care costs (including fetal alcohol disorders), criminal justice expense, lost productivity at work and motor vehicular crash costs; and

WHEREAS, neuroscience tells us that the developing adolescent brain is far more sensitive to alcohol than the mature adult brain and underage alcohol use can negatively impact student success and athletic performance; and

WHEREAS, robust prevention efforts by collaborating agencies and organizations in North Carolina have helped to raise the average age at which young people begin to use alcohol, yet 27 percent of high school students still report drinking in the last 30 days and, of that number, 44 percent report binge drinking (i.e., excessive alcohol use) in the past 30 days; and

WHEREAS, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services operates three Alcohol and Drug Abuse Treatment Centers that serve adults in need of substance use disorder treatment and psychiatric stabilization; and

WHEREAS, the State of North Carolina believes in the collective impact of parents, teachers, coaches, medical professionals, faith leaders and public and private organizations and institutions to support early education about alcoholism and addiction, and to provide hope, help and healing for those in our communities who are facing challenges with alcohol use and misuse;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, ROY COOPER, Governor of the State of North Carolina, do hereby proclaim April, 2021, as “ALCOHOL AWARENESS MONTH” in North Carolina, and commend its observance to all citizens.