Alcohol use is common in the United States. In 2002, 55% of adults reported having at least one drink in the previous month, with the prevalence of past-month alcohol consumption somewhat higher for men (62%) than for women (48%) (1) Moreover, the lifetime prevalence of alcohol use disorders has been measured at 14.6% (1). Excessive alcohol use, either in the form of heavy drinking or binge drinking, increases the risk of numerous health and social problems (2,3), and, in 2001, approximately 75,000 deaths were attributable to excessive alcohol use, making it the third-leading lifestyle-related cause of death (3).
