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Alcohol Abuse

Underage Drinking Leads to an Increase in Emergency Room Visits Every Memorial Day Weekend

posted 01:53 AM EST, Wed June 02, 2010
Teens Drinking Over the Memorial Day Cause Increase in Emergency Room Visits © MSVG

Emergency room visits due to underage drinking go up by 11% over the Memorial Day weekend.

by John Lee Google+ Facebook

Memorial Day weekend can feel like the first real taste of the summer party season, unfortunately, for too many teens, memorial day weekend is also an opportunity to indulge in underage drinking, which results in a dramatic increase in alcohol and alcohol and drug related emergency room visits over the 3 day holiday.

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA) on an average day:

  • 519 underage drinkers (under 21) will need treatment in an emergency room after drinking too much – on Memorial Day weekend; this number climbs by 11%, up to 577 emergency room visits per day.
  • Emergency room visits for underage drinkers who were using alcohol and drugs increase by 27% during the holiday weekend.
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Story Highlights
  • Underage: Drinking over the Memorial Day Weekend causes a sharp increase in emergency room admissions for alcohol related causes.