3 ms·

I think what's surprising is that 1/10 is pretty high for something that technically could be prevented entirely. It has nothing to do with other causes of deat

I think what's surprising is that 1/10 is pretty high for something that technically could be prevented entirely. It has nothing to do with other causes of death.

sliverstorm 12y ago
Most deaths in that age range could be prevented entirely. Alcohol, like many other causes, is a risk we accept in exchange for something. I would hazard workplace & automotive accidents are also high on the list. We can prevent those entirely, very simply...
- YokoZar 12y ago
  Automotive accidents are high in part due to alcohol though.
  - randallsquared 12y ago
    High relative to what? Automobile accident deaths per 100K have dropped by more than half since 1980, and by nearly a third since 2000. Even in absolute numbers, they've been declining pretty steadily for many years. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_motor_vehicle_deaths_in_U.S._by_year http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_motor_vehicle_deaths_in...
    - LnxPrgr3 12y ago
      Modern cars have made it a lot safer to be in a crash. I'd hate to have been driving the 1959 Bel Air in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_r5UJrxcck https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_r5UJrxcck Still, since not much else is likely to kill the average American 20-something, car crashes rank relatively high, and alcohol remains involved in about a third of all fatal crashes in the US.
slavik81 12y ago
If you somehow eliminated all other causes of death for working age adults, it would be 10/10. Because it's relative to total deaths, other causes of death are important in understanding what that statistic means. It's also worth noting that a good chunk of all deaths among working age adults are preventable. Miscellaneous accidents, suicide and homicide are the most common causes of death at the younger end of the adult spectrum. Towards the older end, cancer and heart disease skyrocket and dwarf them. See "10 Leading Causes of Death by Age Group": http://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/pdf/10lcid_all_deaths_by_age_group_2010-a.Pdf http://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/pdf/10lcid_all_deaths_by_a...
rwmj 12y ago
"Technically could be prevented" .. how? Prohibition didn't work out well, and people can make booze with some fruit juice, air and a radiator even in the most extremely regulated environments[1]. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pruno https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pruno
- nine_k 12y ago
  These cause can be prevented technically, but not socially. It is possible, though, in different social conditions, like these of a high-security prison, monastery, or a Mars-bound spaceship with a carefully chosen crew. There the levels of suicide, homicide, alcoholism can be either negligible or strictly zero. The catch is that these conditions assume severe limitations of personal liberties, voluntary or imposed by force. Obviously this is not a realistic model of a society I (and probably you) would like to live all my life.
- ufo 12y ago
  Prohibition is not the only alternative out there. For example, tobacco was never outlawed but now many countries place heavy taxes and advertisement restrictions on it. Overall its become a much less acceptable habit than it used to be and cigarrete related illness has gone down.
  - chrischen 12y ago
    That's also do to teaching the kids at a young age. Social acceptance was the main factor, and will be the main factor in limiting alcohol usage (if it does happen).

I think what's surprising is that 1/10 is pretty high for something that technically could be prevented entirely. It has nothing to do with other causes of death.

sliverstorm 12y ago

Most deaths in that age range could be prevented entirely. Alcohol, like many other causes, is a risk we accept in exchange for something. I would hazard workplace & automotive accidents are also high on the list. We can prevent those entirely, very simply...

YokoZar 12y ago
Automotive accidents are high in part due to alcohol though.
- randallsquared 12y ago
  High relative to what? Automobile accident deaths per 100K have dropped by more than half since 1980, and by nearly a third since 2000. Even in absolute numbers, they've been declining pretty steadily for many years. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_motor_vehicle_deaths_in_U.S._by_year http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_motor_vehicle_deaths_in...
  - LnxPrgr3 12y ago
    Modern cars have made it a lot safer to be in a crash. I'd hate to have been driving the 1959 Bel Air in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_r5UJrxcck https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_r5UJrxcck Still, since not much else is likely to kill the average American 20-something, car crashes rank relatively high, and alcohol remains involved in about a third of all fatal crashes in the US.

slavik81 12y ago

If you somehow eliminated all other causes of death for working age adults, it would be 10/10. Because it's relative to total deaths, other causes of death are important in understanding what that statistic means. It's also worth noting that a good chunk of all deaths among working age adults are preventable. Miscellaneous accidents, suicide and homicide are the most common causes of death at the younger end of the adult spectrum. Towards the older end, cancer and heart disease skyrocket and dwarf them. See "10 Leading Causes of Death by Age Group": http://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/pdf/10lcid_all_deaths_by_age_group_2010-a.Pdf http://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/pdf/10lcid_all_deaths_by_a...

rwmj 12y ago

"Technically could be prevented" .. how? Prohibition didn't work out well, and people can make booze with some fruit juice, air and a radiator even in the most extremely regulated environments[1]. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pruno https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pruno

nine_k 12y ago
These cause can be prevented technically, but not socially. It is possible, though, in different social conditions, like these of a high-security prison, monastery, or a Mars-bound spaceship with a carefully chosen crew. There the levels of suicide, homicide, alcoholism can be either negligible or strictly zero. The catch is that these conditions assume severe limitations of personal liberties, voluntary or imposed by force. Obviously this is not a realistic model of a society I (and probably you) would like to live all my life.
ufo 12y ago
Prohibition is not the only alternative out there. For example, tobacco was never outlawed but now many countries place heavy taxes and advertisement restrictions on it. Overall its become a much less acceptable habit than it used to be and cigarrete related illness has gone down.
- chrischen 12y ago
  That's also do to teaching the kids at a young age. Social acceptance was the main factor, and will be the main factor in limiting alcohol usage (if it does happen).