National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)

In light of the current coronavirus pandemic, it is especially important this fall for college students to take the necessary measures to protect their health and well-being, particularly if schools have resumed in-person or hybrid classes. Especially now, students and college administrators need to understand the risks associated with alcohol use.

Drinking to the point of a blackout has gained pop culture notoriety in recent years. Alcohol-induced blackouts can lead to impaired memory of events that transpired while intoxicated, and a drastically increased risk of injuries and other harms. They can occur in anyone who drinks alcohol, no matter their age or level of experience with drinking. In this factsheet, we...

For Health Care Professionals Screening and risk assessment The quick two-question screening tool and risk level estimates in Alcohol Screening and Brief Intervention for Youth will give you a good idea as to your patients’ level of risk for alcohol-related problems. If you wish to follow up with other tools, two to consider are the 10-question AUDIT and the 6-question...

Fri, 07/26/2013 - 12:00

Fri, 07/26/2013 - 12:00

New research supported by NIAAA suggests that a drug currently used to prevent the rejection of transplanted organs could someday help lessen the alcohol cravings that often lead to relapse among people with drinking problems. Alcohol-related memories, or cues—such as the smell of alcohol—can trigger cue-induced alcohol craving. Previous research has found that the mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1...

Ralph Hingson, Sc.D., and other researchers at the Boston University School of Public Health reported in the September 27 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association that the younger people are when they begin drinking the more likely they are to be injured later in life when under the influence of alcohol. Those who start drinking before age...

Fri, 04/30/2010 - 12:00

Fri, 04/30/2010 - 12:00

Brief counseling sessions by physicians can help college students reduce harmful alcohol use, according to a new study supported by NIAAA. Led by Michael F. Fleming, M.D., M.P.H., of the University of Wisconsin, the study is part of the ongoing College Health Intervention Projects (CHIPs) study, a randomized, controlled clinical trial conducted in five college health clinics in Wisconsin, Washington...

February 4, 2015

This month the web site of the Collaborative Research on Addiction at NIH, or CRAN , debuts a new blog. In the current post, NIAAA Director Dr. George Koob writes about “ Underage Drinking - Oversized Problem .” Future blog posts will feature articles by Dr. Nora Volkow, Director of NIDA, Dr. Robert Croyle, Director of the Division of Cancer...

Asking emergency department patients about their alcohol use and talking with them about how to reduce harmful drinking patterns is an effective way to lower rates of risky drinking in these patients, according to a nationwide collaborative study supported by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Emergency...

Although the prevalence of underage drinking has decreased since its peak in the late 1970s, drinking by youth has stabilized over the past decade at disturbingly high levels. The findings, part of a new analysis of youth drinking trends by researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), appear in the September, 2004 issue of Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research...

Current Chairpersons Vivian Faden, Ph.D. Dale Hereld, Ph.D. Current NIAAA Members John Bowersox Fred Donodeo, M.P.A. Isabel Ellis, M.S.W. Ralph Hingson, Sc.D., M.P.H. Patricia Powell, Ph.D. Mariela Shirley, Ph.D. Aaron White, Ph.D. Bridget Williams-Simmons, Ph.D. Advisory Committee Adrian Angold, M.R.C. Psych Duke University Richard Bonnie, L.L.B. John S. Battle Professor of Law, Director, University of Virginia Institute of Law, Psychiatry...

August 19, 2020

CollegeAIM stays in-step with latest college alcohol intervention research. Since it was first launched in 2015, the CollegeAIM (Alcohol Intervention Matrix) guide and website has provided research-based information to help college officials address harmful and underage student drinking by identifying effective alcohol interventions. Developed by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, part of the National Institutes of Health...

The older adult population is increasing rapidly. Alcohol use among older adults is also increasing. As we focus on the quality of life for this growing population, it’s important to take into account how alcohol affects their overall health.

The COVID-19 pandemic is affecting every family across the country and will likely have a long-lasting impact on public health and well-being. Alcohol misuse is already a public health concern in the United States, and alcohol has the potential to further complicate the COVID-19 pandemic in multiple ways. Below are links to important resources for the public, clinicians, and researchers...

We can help alleviate the stigma associated with alcohol-related conditions by consistently using non-pejorative, non-stigmatizing, person-first language to describe these concerns and the people who are affected by them. Keep in mind that some words that are commonly used in society, such as “alcoholic” and “alcohol abuse,” can be stigmatizing.

Wednesday, May 10, 2023

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health Minutes of the 11th Joint Meeting of the National Advisory Council on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Advisory Council on Drug Abuse, and National Cancer Advisory Board May 10, 2023 Members of the National Advisory Council on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), National Advisory Council on Drug Abuse (NIDA)...

Thursday, April 13, 2017 National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism 5635 Fishers Lane, Terrace Level Conference Center, Rockville, Maryland Meeting Summary Download Print Version (104 KB): Contents Welcome, Introductions, and Comments Overview of ICCFASD Mission and Goals Update from the DOJ and the ICCFASD Justice Issues Work Group Reports of Activities of the ICCFASD Agencies: SAMHSA, NIAAA, and NIDA...

November 22, 2013

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) will be hosting a Twitter Chat, “Alcohol & the Holidays: What You Need to Know.” The chat will cover tips for celebrating the season safely if you choose to drink, vital stats about drunk driving, and evidence-based advice for those thinking about reducing their drinking in the New Year. The chat...

Strategies recommended by the Surgeon General to reduce underage drinking have shown promise when put into practice, according to scientists at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), part of the National Institutes of Health. These approaches include nighttime restrictions on young drivers and strict license suspension policies, interventions focused on partnerships between college campuses and the community...

February 16, 2016

It is now well accepted in pediatrics and obstetrics that prenatal alcohol is a teratogenic agent and the primary causative factor underlying fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs), although for the majority of the 20th century that knowledge was either unknown or ignored. At least 2 factors contributed to the delay in recognizing alcohol's role in teratogenicity: the rejection of earlier...