Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes ofwebsite accessibilityFirst year of pandemic saw more deaths from alcohol than COVID in people under 65 | The National Desk
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First year of pandemic saw more deaths from alcohol than COVID in people under 65

by ALEC SCHEMMEL | The National Desk

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MARCH 9, 2022 - Twenty-six Asheville-based breweries, bars and restaurants are participating in the Benevolent Spirits fundraiser, a benefit to help those hit hardest by the war in Ukraine. (Photo credit: WLOS staff)
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MARCH 9, 2022 - Twenty-six Asheville-based breweries, bars and restaurants are participating in the Benevolent Spirits fundraiser, a benefit to help those hit hardest by the war in Ukraine. (Photo credit: WLOS staff)
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WASHINGTON (TND) — A recent study done by federal researchers found there were more alcohol-related deaths than COVID deaths in the U.S. during 2020 in people under 65.

The study discovered that, in 2020, there were 74,408 alcohol-related deaths among Americans ages 16 to 64 while, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there were only 67,991 deaths among Americans under 65 that included COVID-19 as an underlying cause.

The researchers collected their data from death certificates, recording deaths in which alcohol was listed as an underlying cause.

The study, performed by doctoral researchers from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, an arm of the National Institutes of Health, also shows alcohol-related deaths in 2020 – the first year of the pandemic – increased over 25% from the previous year.

Critics have argued COVID-19 lockdown measures are to blame for increasing rates of drug abuse and overdose.

Furthermore, individuals suffering from alcohol or drug abuse were forced to overcome barriers to treatment caused by the pandemic.

According to a World Health Organization (WHO) survey, 93% of countries worldwide had their mental health services either disrupted or halted during the pandemic, despite the increased demand for such services.

“The pandemic is increasing demand for mental health services,” the WHO said in a press release about the survey. “Bereavement, isolation, loss of income and fear are triggering mental health conditions or exacerbating existing ones. Many people may be facing increased levels of alcohol and drug use, insomnia, and anxiety.”

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