NATIVE AMERICAN TIMES

Bans on the sale and possession of alcoholic beverages on certain Indian reservations have been shown to reduce consumption and related harms, although the efficacy of such policies is influenced by access to alcohol in surrounding communities.

Excessive alcohol consumption is a leading cause of preventable death among American Indians and Alaska Natives, federal health officials reported in August.

Based on data from 2001-2005, the Indian Health Service and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that 11.7 percent of deaths among Native Americans were alcohol-related. This was twice the rate of the general population. (more…)

Published August 29, 2008 in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
BY T.S. Naimi, N. Cobb, D. Boyd, D.W. Jarman, R. Brewer, D.E. Nelson, J. Holt, D. Espey, P. Snesrud, P. Chavez

NOTE 1:  When discussing mitigation in this article, the authors make the following comment: “Bans on the sale and possession of alcoholic beverages on certain Indian reservations have been shown to reduce consumption and related harms (5), although the efficacy of such policies is influenced by access to alcohol in surrounding communities (7).”

NOTE 2: The weblink copy of this article includes tables and data not included in the following text.

Excessive alcohol consumption is a leading preventable cause of death in the United States (1) and has substantial public health impact on American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations (2). (more…)