Officials from Atlanta's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are urging various organizations to step-up their campaigns against excessive drinking to curb deaths related to alcohol poisoning, Modern Healthcare reported.
The move came after the federal agency released a report indicating a spike in mortality rate due to drinking too much alcohol.
The CDC defined excessive or binge drinking as consuming more than four glasses or bottles of alcoholic beverages in one session.
According to the report from the CDC, the years 2010 to 2012 had an annual average death rate of 2,221 due to alcohol poisoning. This translates to 8.8 deaths in every one million individuals.
The CDC conducted its study by analyzing the data collected by the National Vita Statistics System on individuals aged 15 years old and above. The results revealed that majority of those who died from excessive alcohol drinking were adult males.
Ileana Arias, the principal deputy director of the CDC noted that binge drinking does not only affect a person's health but also causes various social issues in the country.
"Excessive drinking is responsible for many health and social problems in the U.S.," Arias said during a press conference.
In response, the CDC suggested that local government organizations and healthcare groups implement additional programs to inform the public about the dangers of alcohol poisoning and to assist those who have drinking problems.
"This study shows that alcohol poisoning deaths are not just a problem among young people," the CDC's Alcohol Program Lead and co-author of the study Dr. Robert Brewer said in a statement.
"It also emphasizes the importance of taking a comprehensive approach to reducing binge drinking that includes evidence-based community strategies, screening counseling in healthcare settings, and high-quality substance abuse treatment for those who need it," he added.
Other strategies proposed by the CDC involved enforcing laws on a national level to limit the number of bars, convenient stores and other establishments that sell and serve alcoholic beverages. The federal agency also urged the government to strengthen its efforts to stop the illegal trade of alcohol.
As for the public, the health agency strongly advised that women should not exceed consuming one alcoholic drink a day. For men, they should limit their alcohol consumption to two drinks a day, according to the Huffington Post.
