April is Alcohol Awareness month – shining a light on alcohol use and misuse

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. (KESQ) - April is Alcohol Awareness month, a time to bring attention to struggles associated with alcohol.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, about 178,000 people die each year from excessive alcohol use, making alcohol the fourth leading cause of preventable death in the United States.

Experts at the Betty Ford Center in Rancho Mirage say problem drinking is not to be ignored - whether it is your own or that of a loved one.

The financial burden of alcohol misuse costs the United States an estimated 250 billion dollars per year.

News Channel 3's Peter Daut spoke with Betty Ford Center Director of Operations Joanne Hawes about alcoholism and some of the warning signs.

for more information on alcohol awareness and how to get help for alcohol dependency, see hazeldenbettyford.org.