Excessive alcohol use is responsible for more than 140,000 deaths in the United States each year and it shortens the lives of those who die by an average of 26 years, according to statistics.

Excessive alcohol use was associated with an economic cost of $249 billion in 2010.

The Community Preventive Services Task Force recommends evidence- based strategies to prevent excessive alcohol use and related harms at the population level.

“That includes increasing alcohol taxes, regulating the number and concentration of places that sell alcohol and having other policies that reduce the availability and accessibility of alcohol,” said Cheryl Megli, coalition coordinator for the South Western Oklahoma Development Authority (SWODA).

According to SWODA, drinking too much is associated with:

• Violence;

• Sexual risk behaviors;

• Alcohol poisoning;

• Injuries, such as motor vehicle crashes; • Cancer;

• Liver disease;

• High blood pressure;

• Alcohol use disorder. “Excessive alcohol use can harm your health,” Megli said.

It includes binge drinking, defined as consuming five or more drinks for men or four or more drinks for women on an occasion; heavy drinking, defined as 15 or more drinks for men or eight or more drinks for women per week; and any alcohol use by pregnant women or people younger than 21.

The Kingfisher Community Collaborative, Inc. is working on Substance Misuse Prevention in Kingfisher County.

If you would like to get involved in these prevention efforts, email Megli at cheryl@swoda.org.

This program is funded by Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, SWODA and Kingfi sher County Community Health Action Team.