Voices of Hope Goes Red for Alcohol Awareness Month

Excessive alcohol use is linked with a number of short- and long-term public health problems, including cancers, mental health concerns, injuries, violence, unintended pregnancy, and social and employment problems.

Here are some facts you should know about excessive alcohol use:

• The number of alcohol-related deaths had declined steadily since 2017. However, deaths sharply increased by 34% between 2019 and 2020.

• Alcohol-related deaths in 2020 rose in every age group.

• Deaths increased in 2020 by 41% among non-Hispanic Whites, by 19% among nonHispanic Blacks, and by 57% among Hispanics.

• Deaths increased in 2020 among both men and women, 34% among males and 33% among females.

• Eighty-one percent of acute alcohol-related deaths in 2020 occurred in combination with opioids. Seventy-five percent occurred in combination with fentanyl, 27% occurred in combination with cocaine, and 11% occurred in combination with heroin.

Check out the Maryland Department of Health’s report on Unintentional Drug- and Alcohol-Related Intoxication Deaths in Maryland

https://health.maryland.gov/vsa/Documents/Overdose/Annual_2020_Drug_Intox_Report.pdf

Our Staff, Board of Directors, and friends at Voices of Hope spent the month of April spreading awareness by sporting the color red. Here are a few shots of our peers!