An additional key finding is that nearly a quarter of all decedents under the age of 21 years were BAC+ at the time of death, highlighting the risk of suicide associated with drinking (and heavy drinking). This result is especially troublesome because these decedents are considered underage and not allowed to drink under current U.S. state laws. In particular, the high mean BAC among younger suicide decedents warrants immediate clinical and policy attention, including (a) social media in promoting a message of alcohol abuse and risk for suicide, (b) school personnel might be enlisted in carrying the message, (c) increased access to treatment programs, and (d) enhanced enforcement of restrictions on youth access to alcohol [27, 28]. Moreover, these younger decedents could have obtained alcohol in their homes, which indicates a need to educate parents about the dangers of maintaining alcohol in the home, especially if not in locked cabinets. Other interventions that might arise from the findings include promoting the identification of BAC and other drug testing in the event of suicide and encouraging widespread autopsy of possible suicide decedents.
