From 2001 to 2005, excessive alcohol use accounted for an estimated average of 80,000 deaths and 2.3 million years of potential life lost in the United States, the report noted. Binge drinking accounted for more than half of the deaths, two-thirds of the life/years lost, and three-quarters of the economic costs.
Bingeing also significantly contributes to the incidence of other risky behaviors, like interpersonal violence, unsafe sex, and impaired driving, Dr. Brewer said. "As the number of drinks increases over a short period of time, the risk of these adverse outcomes goes up. Clearly, we have a lot of work to do to bring down the frequency and intensity of binge drinking."
He also stressed that many binge drinkers don’t meet the medical criteria for alcohol dependence. "You don’t have to be alcohol dependent to experience a whole host of alcohol-related problems. If a person is consuming eight drinks in a short period of time, they are putting themselves and others at a great risk of alcohol-related harm."
As government employees, Dr. Brewer and Dr. Kanny had no financial conflicts.