The Deadliest Drug in America

It is a social lubricant that can end careers and lives, but few people were talking about it—until recently

Alcohol abuse leads to more deaths each year than opioid addiction. Malochka Mikalai/Shutterstock

For the first time in a while, pundits and politicians were talking about the drug that kills more people than any other each year in the United States.

Alcohol upstaged opioid abuse in news coverage recently, but only after Rear Adm. Ronny L. Jackson withdrew his name for consideration to head Veterans Affairs in April, in part because of allegations that he has abused alcohol. Jackson has denied having any problem with alcohol.