ST. PAUL, Minn. – New numbers suggest the COVID pandemic may have fueled an increase in deaths from alcohol use in Minnesota.
Preliminary data show 992 Minnesotans died from fully alcohol-attributable causes in 2020 – compared with 821 in 2019. The number of alcohol-related deaths started to accelerate in June.
State Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm said, “sadly, the pandemic has amplified some of the root causes of substance use and substance use disorders, such as social isolation, job loss and lack of access to treatment.”
The report does not include “partially” alcohol-attributable causes of death which suggests the numbers are even higher.
