How Much Does Excessive Drinking Impact Workplace Productivity?

Binge drinking continues to be a problem in the United States. If you’re a man who has five or more drinks on any single occasion, or a woman who has at least four drinks, the Centers for Disease Control considers you to have engaged in binge drinking. According to the CDC, excessive drinking cost the American economy $249 billion USD in 2010, an increase from $223.5 billion USD in 2006. The biggest drain on the economy caused by binge drinking comes from lost workplace productivity.

The high price of hangovers:

• The CDC research has determined that 72 percent of the economic toll comes from loss of productivity, followed by 11 percent for health care costs and 10 percent for criminal justice proceedings.
• Excessive alcohol use is responsible for 1 out of every 10 deaths among working-age Americans, or 88,000 deaths each year, according to the CDC.
• The CDC's suggestions for combating this problem include raising the price of alcohol, limiting access to alcohol, and holding retailers liable for underage drinkers who cause injury or damage.