Alcohol is a popular and legal substance that many people enjoy and abuse. It is easy to take advantage of it when out with friends or alone. Alcohol is consumed for different reasons, from celebrating an event to numbing emotional pain. Whatever the reason for drinking it, too much of it can wreak havoc in many ways.
Binge drinking is one common type of alcohol consumption. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines binge drinking as “a pattern of drinking that brings a person’s blood-alcohol concentration (BAC) to 0.08 g/dl or above. This typically happens when men consume 5 or more drinks or women consume 4 or more drinks in about 2 hours.”
While most people who occasionally binge drink do not develop alcohol use disorder (AUD), some find themselves indulging in it more often. It is easy and convenient to buy alcohol in Fort Lauderdale.
The city, located in Broward County, is on the southeast coast and is a popular place for residents and visitors. Its widely known strip area is a location where upscale shops, hotels, restaurants, and bars keep patrons happy and sated. The county’s alcohol sale laws are liberal, making it easy to get alcohol whenever it’s wanted.
Alcohol sales are available from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. People who want to buy wine or beer can easily do so in grocery stores, pharmacies, convenience marts, and other retail venues. Bars and restaurants can sell and serve drinks to be taken “on the go” in plastic cups or served in-house. As long as the buyer is of the legal age of 21, they can “grab and go,” thus leading to excessive use of the substance and developing harmful physical, social, and psychological issues. Alcohol rehab can be a beneficial option for those who overindulge to the point of harm.
Broward County Alcohol Abuse
The county is large and spread out from the shore to the far western suburbs reaching the edge of the Everglades. Alcohol-related issues are well-documented for the area.
One-third of the people who entered substance use treatment from 2011 to 2013 cited alcohol abuse as their reason for being admitted, as stated by a 2019 county health report. Other data from the report indicated that near 30 percent of high-school students drank alcohol in 2013. Almost 18 percent consumed their first alcoholic drink before age 13. More alarming is the statistic that 21 percent rode in a vehicle with someone who had been drinking.
A 2018 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report states that Florida had the third-highest alcohol-impaired driving fatalities. Also noted was that 814 of the drivers involved in alcohol-related fatalities had a BAC above the legal .08+ g/dL, and 519 were above .15. Drinking and driving is a dangerous combination.
Florida’s Alcohol Rehab History and Rankings
Florida has many substance use treatment facilities that provide the American Society for Addiction Medicine’s continuum of care. Alcohol addiction continues to be a problem in the state and is considered to be a good place to begin detoxification for alcohol abuse. There are treatment centers offering results-driven treatment programs that can help clients get and stay on the road to recovery.
Ocean Breeze Recovery, an alcohol rehab facility in South Florida, provides vital treatment and therapies to overcome substance abuse.
Quick Treatment Facts
The National Institute on Drug Abuse lists 13 criteria needed for effective addiction treatment, which include treatment plans should be individualized for each person, treatment should be readily available, and treatment can be effective if the person stays in it for more than 90 days. Treatment should also be readily available.
