During 2001–2005, excessive alcohol use contributed to about 79,000 deaths and 2.3 million years of potential life lost in the United States (Kanny et al., 2011). Excessive alcohol consumption, the third leading cause of preventable death in the United States, can cause damage to the central and peripheral nervous system, and to nearly every organ system in the body (Caan and De Belleroche, 2002; Testino, 2008). It is also strongly correlated with alcohol dependence, a serious psychiatric disorder that affects about 12% of American adults across their lifetime (Hasin et al., 2007). Alcohol dependence is a common, complex disease characterized by compulsive and uncontrolled alcohol consumption despite its negative effects on the drinker’s health, relationships, productivity, and social standing.
