Alcohol-related deaths decline in New Mexico for the second year in a row

SANTA FE — Alcohol-related deaths decreased in 2023 for the second consecutive year, marking progress in the state’s efforts to combat alcohol misuse, according to the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH).

In 2023, NMDOH reported 1,896 alcohol-related deaths, down from 2,067 in 2022 and 2,274 at peak in 2021. New Mexico has historically had the highest alcohol-related deaths in the nation, with the most recent national data (2021) showing its rate was more than twice the national average. However, the state has achieved a 17.3% decline in the age-adjusted rate of 102.3 deaths per 100,000 in 2021 to 84.5 deaths per 100,000 in 2023. 

“The decline highlights the positive impact of targeted interventions, community partnerships and policy initiatives designed to address alcohol misuse,” said Miranda Durham, Chief Medical Officer for the NMDOH. “While this progress is encouraging, we must remain committed to expanding access to healthcare, including substance use treatment, and implementing community-based interventions that address prevention.

McKinley County had one of the largest decreases in alcohol-related deaths between 2021 and 2023 with a drop of 38%. This decline demonstrates the importance of sustained prevention efforts. In McKinley County, substance use has been addressed through a collaboration among multiple stakeholders including the City of Gallup, McKinley County prevention programs, and the Gallup Indian Medical Center. Partners provide behavioral health services and case management to high-risk and unsheltered populations and implement environmental strategies such as limiting the hours that alcohol can be sold.

Alcohol-related death is more commonly a result of the chronic effects of alcohol, such as chronic liver disease and cancer. In 2023 these deaths occurred about one and a half times more often than alcohol-related deaths from acute causes, like accidents or injuries.

In New Mexico, males die from alcohol-related causes more often than females. In 2023, the age-adjusted rate of alcohol-related death was two and a half times higher for males compared to females. From 2021 to 2023, the age-adjusted rate of alcohol-related death decreased 16.1% among males, and 20.6% among females.

If you or someone you care about has questions about alcohol use, please speak to your primary care provider and explore these resources:

• Try this free screening tool to learn about how alcohol affects your health.  
• Get linked to resources, including the free Connections App, if you’re trying to cut down or quit drinking.     
• Free self-help videos on alcohol and other substances can be found through the New Mexico Health Care Authority Behavioral Health Services Division’s New Mexico 5-Actions Program website and can be used by people in recovery, by people who want to support loved ones, and adjunctively by healthcare professionals.    
• If you or someone you love thinks they may have a drinking problem, you can get support by calling the American Addiction Centers’ confidential alcohol hotline at (313)-209-9574 or 988 for crisis support.   
• If you need help finding a provider, please call the NMDOH Helpline at 1-833-SWNURSE (1-833-796-8773).  

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Por segundo año consecutive se reducen las muertes relacionadas con el alcohol en Nuevo México