Are specific groups of people more likely to have problems with alcohol?
Alcohol abuse and alcoholism cut across gender, race, and nationality. In the U.S., 17.6 million people — about one in every 12 adults — abuse alcohol or are alcohol dependent. In general, more men than women are alcohol dependent or have alcohol problems. And alcohol problems are highest among young adults ages 18-29 and lowest among adults ages 65 and older. We also know that people who start drinking at an early age — for example, at age 14 or younger — are at much higher risk of developing alcohol problems at some point in their lives compared to someone who starts drinking at age 21 or after.
