FEATURED MEDICAL EDUCATION TOPIC: We Should Grab a Drink…Or Should We Not? Reckoning with Alcohol in 2026

What is the problem?

More than half of U.S. adults (≈53%) report regular alcohol consumption, and while overall use may be declining, alcohol-related harm remains substantial. Excessive alcohol use contributes to an estimated 178,000 deaths annually, largely from liver disease, cancer, and cardiovascular complications. Nearly 28 million Americans meet criteria for Alcohol Use Disorder, yet many cases go undiagnosed in routine clinical care. Emerging evidence also links even moderate alcohol intake to increased cancer risk, underscoring the need for physicians to understand current data, evolving definitions of “low-risk” drinking, and effective screening and counseling strategies. Education on Alcohol use equips clinicians with practical, evidence-based tools to identify risky use earlier, counsel patients accurately, and reduce preventable alcohol-related morbidity and mortality.

Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of this activity, the learners will be able to:

• Review the epidemiology of alcohol consumption in America
• Examine the backstory of alcohol as a protective factor for cardiac disease 
• Outline our current understanding of alcohol’s effects on the body
• Review the current government recommendations regarding “safe” drinking
• Highlight the role that clinicians play when discussing alcohol, including identification and treatment of alcohol use disorder
• Discuss the current temperance movement that seems to be spreading across America

If your medical staff needs an update on alcohol use and abuse, consider contacting our office to book a speaker at 877-505-4777 or info@speakersnetwork.com.

REFERENCES

https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/alcohol.htm

https://news.gallup.com/poll/693362/drinking-rate-new-low-alcohol-concerns-surge.aspx

https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohols-effects-health/alcohol-topics/alcohol-facts-and-statistics/alcohol-use-disorder-aud-united-states-age-groups-and-demographic-characteristics

https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/about-alcohol-use/index.html