The Cost Of The Connecticut Hangover: $3 Billion

Written by Marc Torrence and Brian McCready, Patch Staff

Excessive drinking costs the U.S. economy $249 billion, or $2.05 per drink, in the form of lost productivity, medical costs, crime and more, a new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found.

And that’s a conservative figure, going back to 2010, the last year the CDC examined for the study. Still, it’s a significant increase from 2006, when the CDC says hitting the bottle cost the economy $223.5 billion, or $1.90 per drink.

“The increase in the costs of excessive drinking from 2006 to 2010 is concerning, particularly given the severe economic recession that occurred during these years,” Robert Brewer, head of the CDC’s Alcohol Program and one of the study’s authors, said in a press release.

“Effective prevention strategies can reduce excessive drinking and related costs in states and communities, but they are under used.”

Here were some other findings from the study:

• The CDC defines binge drinking as “drinking five or more drinks on one occasion for men or four or more drinks on one occasion for women.”
• 77 percent of those 2010 costs were a result of binge drinking.
• Of the 50 states and D.C., California had the nation’s highest cost at $35 billion.
• North Dakota had the smallest with $488 million.
• Underage drinking cost the economy $24.3 billion.

In Connecticut, excessive drinking cost the economy $3.029 billion or $2.04 per drink in the form of lost productivity, medical costs, crime and more, the study states.

The impact on the state’s economy is $1.204 billion or $0.81 a drink and binge drinking costs the state $2.297 billion.

Related stories:

• Report: Top 10 Drunkest Places to Live in Connecticut
• Connecticut Residents Drink the 4th Most Alcohol in the Nation - Report
• Read the CDC release here and the full study here.

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