CDC: Alcohol poisoning causes six deaths a day

ATLANTA, Jan. 6 (UPI) - More than six people die every day in the United States of alcohol poisoning, a report from the Centers for Disease Control said Tuesday.

The study found that more than 2,200 Americans die of alcohol poisoning or binge drinking on average each year.

Sixty-five percent of older adult deaths from 35 to 64 years of age.

"This study shows that deaths from alcohol poisoning are not just a problem for young people," said Dr. Robert Brewer, head of the CDC alcohol program and is co-author of the report.

About 76 percent of those who die from alcohol poisoning are men and 68 percent are white. Fifteen percent were Hispanic, nine percent black, American Indian or Alaska Native seven percent and two percent Asian or Pacific Islander.

The US Midwest saw most deaths from alcohol poisoning, with Minnesota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Oregon to top list. The southern states of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida were among those with the lowest binge drinking deaths.

Alcohol poisoning is caused not nearly the same number of deaths each year among the leading causes of death in the United States. Data from the US Census 2010, heart disease caused 596,577 per year, cancer causes 576,691 and chronic respiratory diseases cause less than 142,943.

Alcohol poisoning deaths per year are tied with drowning caused 10 deaths per day, but it's still nearly twice as high.

Data from the CDC study was done between 2010 and 2012 ..