SANTA FE — In light of April being national Alcohol Awareness Month, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has approved $2 million to establish the Office of Alcohol Misuse Prevention (OAMP) within the New Mexico Department of Health. The OAMP is aimed at mitigating alcohol-related harms through coordinated prevention efforts across state agencies, promoting FDA-approved treatments for alcohol use disorder, and supporting communities in reducing excessive alcohol consumption.
NMHealth Secretary Patrick Allen emphasized the importance of addressing alcohol-related issues, stating, “As a state, we must address the root causes of alcohol-related deaths and prioritize prevention efforts to reverse this troubling trend...It’s time to take action.”
The statistics regarding alcohol-related deaths in New Mexico are concerning, with the age-adjusted rate increasing annually from 2017 to 2021. There have been over 2,000 alcohol-related deaths in the state each year since 2020. In 2022, 40% of all deaths in McKinley County, 20.4% in Bernalillo County, and 19% in San Miguel County were alcohol-related. The data also shows that Hispanics accounted for 40% of the deaths in 2022, followed by Whites and American Indian/Alaska Natives.
Among men, alcohol-related deaths were highest in the 55-64 age group, while among women, the 35-44 age group had the highest number of deaths. Notably, there was an almost 285% increase in the number of deaths when comparing individuals aged 15-24 with those aged 55-64.
In an effort to combat these alarming trends, the OAMP will focus on evidence-based prevention strategies and FDA-approved treatments for alcohol use disorder. Individuals struggling with alcohol misuse are encouraged to seek help from their primary care provider and explore available resources.
For further information, individuals can contact David Barre at (505) 699-9237 (Office).