61 New Recommendations to Reduce Excessive Alcohol Consumption

Medical College of Wisconsin Comprehensive Injury Center Key in Informing Report Guidance

MILWAUKEE, March 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Wisconsin leads the nation in excessive use of alcohol with reports showing increased alcohol sales and a rising death toll. There has also been a 54% increase in alcohol-related deaths since 2014. The question is: What can we do about it? The State Council on Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse (SCAODA) released a report today called: Moving Forward: Policies and Strategies to Prevent and Reduce Excessive Alcohol Use in Wisconsin. The report outlines 61 policy and systems recommendations to help modify the factors that encourage excessive alcohol consumption.

In developing the report, the SCAODA Prevention Committee appointed an Alcohol Prevention Ad Hoc Workgroup that analyzed the evidence, engaged experts, and heard testimony about the most effective ways to reduce excessive alcohol consumption. Maureen Busalacchi, Director, Wisconsin Alcohol Policy Project, Comprehensive Injury Center (CIC) at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) chaired the workgroup which developed various policies and practices that can help reduce excessive alcohol use in Wisconsin. 

"This report helps us see how we can make our communities safer and protect people from a path to addiction as well as reduce operating while intoxicated (OWI), alcohol- related fatalities, violence, and suicide, among other harms," said Roger Frings, Chair of SCAODA.

Wisconsin leads the nation in many alcohol-related factors that cost taxpayers billions related to OWI traffic crashes, health care costs, law enforcement resources, and in deaths and disease. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services estimated over 3,100 deaths in Wisconsin could be attributed to alcohol use in 2020 alone.

"It's time we stop thinking excessive alcohol consumption is normal and start working on the culture around alcohol," said Terri deRoon-Cassini, Director, CIC, MCW. "Alcohol impacts much of the work we do at the Comprehensive Injury Center and is a major factor in violence, crashes, injury, trauma and suicides. We see reducing excessive alcohol use as a very important way to reduce harm and trauma, as well as an important factor in many health issues like liver disease, cancer, mental health issues and others. By bringing the Wisconsin Alcohol Policy Project to the CIC, we are able to provide communities with effective tools they can use to change their alcohol environment and reduce excessive drinking."

SOURCE Medical College of Wisconsin