April 2026 Alcohol Awareness Month

Alcohol Awareness Month is a time to raise awareness and increase understanding of how alcohol use impacts our health and communities. In the United States, alcohol contributes to more than 178,000 deaths each year, making it one of the leading preventable causes of death. In 2024 alone, nearly 28 million Americans ages 12 and older (1 in 10 people) met the criteria for an alcohol use disorder. Excessive alcohol use is also linked to seven different types of cancer and more than 200 different diseases and injury-related health conditions.

This month serves as an important opportunity to encourage individuals and communities to learn more about the effects of alcohol, reflect on personal and community-level patterns of use, and share accurate, evidence-based information on prevention, treatment, and recovery support services. It also offers a chance to gain more understanding of the impact of alcohol use disorder, while addressing misconceptions and stigma that can make it harder to seek help.

Addiction Policy Forum disseminates science-backed resources during Alcohol Awareness Month to all communities—including video explainers, research summaries, online courses, and other educational materials—to increase understanding of alcohol’s effects. Resources include:

🧠 eCourses / Training

Alcohol Use Disorder 101

• Alcohol Use Disorder 101

• Type: eCourse / training

• Notes: 15-minute self-paced course covering effects on brain/body, blackouts, underage drinking, and recognizing AUD

📊 Research

• Alcohol Use Disorder & Health Impact

• Punishment, the brain, and compulsive drinking

• Alcohol Remains the Primary Driver of Treatment Admissions in the U.S., followed by Methamphetamines and Heroin

• New Study Shows Even Light Alcohol Use Increases Dementia Risk

• GLP-1 Agonists Like Semaglutide Show Promise in Reducing Alcohol Use Disorder, Study Finds

  
  

🎥 Video Explainers

Alcohol and Your Health

The Risks Associated with Underage Drinking

The Biology of a Blackout

📚 General Education

What is an Alcohol Use Disorder?

We also encourage you to explore information from leading organizations such as NIAAA and SAMHSA, whose work advances knowledge of alcohol use and supports ongoing efforts to improve the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of alcohol use disorder.