Estimating the Economic Costs of Alcohol Abuse

There is general awareness that alcohol abuse is one of the nation's most serious public-health problems. Until recently, the view that alcoholism reflects an individual moral weakness or failing dominated society's attitudes and policy towards the problem. Still somewhat common, this judgment is nevertheless yielding to the recognition of alcoholism as a disease and to more enlightened social policy. In 1970 Congress created the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) to formulate policy and goals for the prevention, control, and treatment of alcohol abuse and alcoholism.The NIAAA recognized that in a benefit/cost context, reductions in specific economic . . .