Young adults in America are drinking themselves to death. The Institute for Heathcare Policy and Innovation  reported on a recent study by Elliot Tapper and Neehar Parikh:

The data published in the journal BMJ shows adults age 25-34 experienced the highest average annual increase in cirrhosis deaths — about 10.5 percent each year. The rise was driven entirely by alcohol-related liver disease, the authors say.

The research showed: It is hitting many states especially hard, namely Kentucky, Alabama, Arkansas and New Mexico, where cirrhosis deaths were highest.

If adults drink, United States dietary guidelines say men can safely consume up to two alcoholic drinks a day and women up to one drink a day. Although that threshold may need to be lower after a recent international study suggested just five drinks a week can shorten the lifespan.

The World Journal of Hepatology states that binge drinking has become a major health risk. It reports that “the excessive consumption of alcohol is the leading global cause of preventable morbidity and mortality…”

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism has published a fact sheet on college drinking:

The University of Alabama has a strict policy on alcohol use by its students:

Individuals under 21 years of age are not permitted to consume alcohol or be in possession of alcohol. Alcohol paraphernalia (which includes but is not limited to: empty beer cans or bottles, shot glasses, etc.) are prohibited and considered a violation of policy.

The University’s policy doubtlessly is a responsible response to the dangers of under-aged drinking.

AlcoholPolicyMD has listed some of the dangers of under-aged  drinking:

Underage college drinkers are more likely than their of-age counterparts to suffer consequences ranging from unplanned sex, getting hurt or injured, requiring medial treatment for an alcohol overdose, and doing something they would later regret.

The new report on the increase in cirrhosis deaths should add more urgency to the prevention of alcohol use by under-aged drinkers.