Impact 3: Behaviors that Maintain or Improve Health

Binge drinking is a common pattern of excessive alcohol use in the United States. Binge drinking can be dangerous and may result in vomiting, loss of sensory perception, and blackouts.

Tobacco is the agent most responsible for avoidable illness and death in America today. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, tobacco use brings premature death to almost half a million Americans each year, and it contributes to profound disability and pain in many others.

Tobacco is the agent most responsible for avoidable illness and death in America today. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, tobacco use brings premature death to almost half a million Americans each year, and it contributes to profound disability and pain in many others.

Alcohol use is a leading lifestyle-related cause of death. Immediate health risks include motor-vehicle collisions and alcohol poisoning. Long-term effects include cardiovascular problems and liver disease.

Studies have shown that neighborhoods with a high density of alcohol outlets are associated with higher rates of violence, regardless of other community characteristics such as poverty and age of residents. High alcohol outlet density has been shown to be related to increased rates of drinking and driving, motor vehicle-related pedestrian injuries, and child abuse and neglect.