HARI SREENIVASAN:

The study ranks excessive alcohol consumption as the fourth leading cause of preventable deaths in the U.S., accounting for one in 10 deaths among working-age Americans each year. Its effects also cost the U.S. economy roughly $224 billion every year.

And it is not just the alcoholic drinker who is at risk. Partying, bingeing and daily drinking all take a toll.

For a closer look, we turn to Dr. Robert Brewer. He's head of the Alcohol Program at the CDC and co-author of the report. He joins us from Chicago.

So, first of all, we have known that excessive drinking has different costs on society. It's often a tragedy for the family or the loved ones of the diseased, but what surprised you about these numbers in this study?

DR. ROBERT BREWER, Alcohol Program, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Well, Hari, you're right.

We have known that excessive alcohol use is a huge public health problem for a long time. What surprised us in this study was the extent to which that public health impact was focused on working age adults. And as you noted in your opener, we estimate that about one in 10 deaths among working-age adults, ages 20-64 years, are attributable to excessive~ alcohol use.

That's a huge number and certainly indicates to us that we need to redouble our efforts to prevent it.