A recent study found New Mexico has the highest alcohol-related death rate in the United States and has for more than 25 years.
New Mexico led the nation in alcohol-related deaths at 86.6 per 100,000 people in 2020, according to KOB 4 Eyewitness News. This is more than double the national average of 41.5, a trend that has remained the same since 1997. In 2020, alcohol abuse killed more than 1,800 New Mexicans under 65, which was more than the number of COVID-19 deaths for the same age group that year.
“One in five people die every day from alcohol use. It’s a big thing that I don’t think is being talked about enough,” Jaren Trost, a doctor with Optum, New Mexico, said.
Alcohol abuse leads to a variety of health issues, including chronic liver disease, high blood pressure, and cancer, according to the New Mexico Department of Health. Alcohol abuse can also contribute to domestic violence, crime, poverty, and unemployment.
The cost of alcohol abuse in New Mexico is estimated to be more than $2 billion per year, which adds up to more than $1,000 per person per year, KOB 4 reported.
Trost shared some signs of alcohol abuse, such as drinking first thing in the morning, consuming excessive amounts of alcohol, and experiencing frequent hangovers. Unfortunately, many people do not seek help because they lack health insurance or are unaware that they have a drinking problem.
Trost encourages people to seek help if they are concerned, they may have a drinking problem.
"Go to your primary care provider because they will be able to talk to you about the different screenings, tests, and questions that we as physicians ask all the time to our patients,” Trost said.