Health Department Recommends Drinking Less in 2025

One in Five Adults Report Binge or Heavy Drinking

Drinking Less or Choosing Not to Drink Can Reduce Health Risks

ALBANY, N.Y. – The New York State Department of Health encourages more New Yorkers to reduce their alcohol consumption in 2025. The New Year is a perfect time to explore both the immediate and long-term positive health benefits associated with drinking less alcohol.

“If your New Year’s resolution revolves around improving your physical and mental health, decreasing or cutting out alcohol is an optimal place to start. Drinking less alcohol or choosing not to drink can improve one’s health and well-being,” State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said. “As we approach the new year together, our goal is to keep all New Yorkers out of harm’s way. Reducing alcohol consumption is one way that this can be made possible.”

State Office of Addiction Services and Supports Commissioner Dr. Chinazo Cunningham said, “While this is a time of year for celebration, it is important to remember to celebrate responsibly. Excessive and binge drinking can lead to both short-term and long-term negative effects, including the potential for addiction and other health problems such as liver and heart disease. Be mindful of how much you and your loved ones consume. If drinking becomes a problem, New York State offers free and confidential services that can help.”

Binge drinking and heavy drinking are two forms of excessive alcohol use. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), binge drinking for women is defined as consuming four or more drinks and for men, five or more drinks during one single occasion. Heavy drinking is defined as eight or more drinks per week for women and 15 or more drinks per week for men.

Binge and heavy drinking are reported by almost one in five New York adults. Findings from the Department’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System highlighted excessive alcohol use in New York State, including disparities experienced by various population groups. The report found that those most likely to report excessive alcohol use of alcohol were men, adults younger than 35 years of age and those with an annual household income of $75,000 or more.

Other Key Insights

• One in five adults (18.4%) in New York engage in excessive alcohol use in the form of binge or heavy drinking.
• 16.6% adults reported binge drinking and 6.1% reported heavy drinking. The prevalence of binge drinking increased from 14.9% in 2021 to 16.6% in 2022.
• Demographic Findings: White, non-Hispanic adults reported higher rates of binge drinking (18.9%) and heavy drinking (7.9%) compared to all other racial and ethnic groups.
• Mental Health Findings: Adults experiencing frequent mental distress reported elevated rates of binge drinking (23.0%) and heavy drinking (10.3%).
• Smoking Findings: Binge drinking was far more prevalent among adults who currently smoke (27.4%) compared to those who do not (15.3%). Similarly, heavy drinking among adults who smoke (13.6%) was more than twice as high than those who do not smoke (5.2%).

Excessive alcohol use is one of the leading causes of premature death in the U.S and is responsible for more than 178,000 deaths nationwide. In New York, excessive alcohol use causes more than 8,000 deaths annually.

Excessive drinking is associated with both short-term and long-term health outcomes. Short-term outcomes include unintentional injuries and violence while the long-term health outcomes include increased chronic diseases and learning and mental health concerns like anxiety, depression and memory problems. An estimated 3.2 percent of all cancer deaths in New York State are also attributable to alcohol consumption.

Individuals who are interested in reducing their alcohol use can visit this CDC tool to check their drinking and make a personalized plan for drinking less.

For those who need help finding treatment for alcohol or other substance use disorders, you are encouraged to talk to your primary care provider. Treatment and prevention resources can be found on the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS) website located here and these resources include medication advisement.

Policies that reduce the availability and affordability of alcohol can reduce excessive drinking and promote safer and healthier communities. More information about addressing alcohol use at the state level is available on the CDC’s website here.

For more information related to excessive alcohol use and prevention in New York, please visit this web page or contact the New York State Alcohol Surveillance and Epidemiology Program at AlcoholData@health.ny.gov.