TABC Report Finds Underage Drinking, Alcohol-Related Hospital Visits, & Deaths on the Rise

Thursday, February 27, 2025 | 04:02pm

NASHVILLE, TN—The Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) recently released a report detailing alcohol’s impact on public health and safety in Tennessee. The report, required by Public Chapter 961 (2024), will be issued every two years and focuses on preventing underage drinking, drunk driving, and other harmful uses of alcohol. The data, compiled in collaboration with multiple state agencies, reveals a troubling increase in alcohol-related deaths, hospitalizations, and emergency room visits among both adults and underage individuals.  

The report was compiled using data obtained by the TABC, Tennessee Departments of Health, Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, Safety and Homeland Security, Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency, and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. Alcohol-related data showed a significant increase in alcohol-related deaths, hospitalizations, and ER visits for both adults and youth below the legal drinking age. 

The findings from the report were: 

  • From 2022-2024, TABC underage alcohol sale violations increased by 17%.
  • From 2019-2023, alcohol-related vehicular crashes for youth (age 13-19) increased by 209%. 
  • From 2019-2023, alcohol-related vehicular crash deaths increased by 36%, and injury crashes increased by 12%. 
  • From 2019-2023, alcohol-related fatal boating crashes increased by 237%.
  • From 2020-2023, alcohol-related emergency room visits for all ages increased by 12.5%.
  • From 2020-2023, alcohol-related emergency room visits for youth (age 10-20) increased by 22.5%.
  • From 2020-2023, males comprised approximately 70% of alcohol-related emergency room visits. Females increased their percentage of visits by 3% during the same period. 
  • From 2020-2023, alcohol-related hospital admissions increased by 19.8%.
  • From 2020-2023, alcohol-related hospital admissions for youth (age 10-20) increased by 49.4%.
  • From 2019 to 2023, alcohol-attributable deaths increased by 24.3%. 

The report requires an up-to-date list of current prevention programs conducted by state agencies and recommendations to prevent underage alcohol consumption and other high-risk alcohol consumption within Tennessee. “These numbers are deeply concerning and highlight the need for stronger prevention efforts,” said Russell Thomas, Executive Director of the TABC. “The data clearly shows that alcohol-related harm is on the rise in Tennessee, particularly among young people. It is critical that we take decisive action to reduce these trends and protect public safety.” 

Prevention recommendations detailed in the report included:

  • Increase both state and local law enforcement underage compliance checks.
  • Launch statewide prevention campaigns to target underage drinking and binge drinking.
  • Create a universal age verification statute for all alcohol outlets licensed under Title 57.
  • Modify statutes to improve investigations of alcohol-related road fatalities. 
  • Utilize state-level data to identify high-risk areas and populations for prevention efforts.
  • Increase DUI/BUI enforcement.
  • Reduce alcohol outlet density and limit alcohol advertising near schools, playgrounds, and youth-serving organizations and in media frequently accessed by youth.
  • Promote and expand mandatory responsible alcohol service training programs.
  • Increase the implementation of high-visibility enforcement patrols.
  • Coordinate awareness campaigns with community partners like SADD, MADD, and FCCLA.  

The report can be found here- TABC ALCOHOL REPORT    

For more information about substance abuse treatment options, please visit TN REDLINE. 

For more information about the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission, please visit www.tn.gov/abc. 

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