Topics Related to Injury and Violence Prevention

Studies show most women are not aware that drinking alcohol can raise their risk for breast cancer.  

In fact, the connection between alcohol and breast cancer is one of the most preventable threats to women’s health.

Research shows that drinking alcohol raises your risk of getting several types of cancer, including:

Alcohol is the most common drug used by young adults and college students. With the right conversations, parents and guardians can help them make better choices during this school year.  

Drinking among young adults is a serious public health issue.  

Alcohol misuse can result in:

Drowning can happen to anyone. It happens fast and is often silent.  

The number of unintentional drowning deaths has increased by 50% over the past 10 years. Teens and adults usually drown in natural water, like lakes, rivers or the ocean. Most drownings occur in July.

Drowning is the number one cause of death for young children ages 1 to 4 years. Most young children drown in swimming pools.

More than half of boating-related deaths were drownings without a watercraft accident. Almost all boating-related injuries were related to watercraft accidents. 

As July 4th gets closer and our country celebrates its 250th birthday, NCDHHS wants everyone to use fireworks safely. Fireworks can seriously hurt people if they aren’t used the right way.

In 2025, North Carolina emergency rooms treated 104 people for fireworks injuries during the July 4th weekend.

From 2020 to 2024, there was an average of 192 emergency department visits each year for fireworks-related injuries. More than 70% of those occurred in July. More than one in 10 firework injuries required hospitalization.

Did you know underage drinking often takes place in the summer?  

Summer months bring vacations, parties and time with friends. During this time of year, it is important to be aware of how alcohol can impact young people.

Injuries affect people in every community in North Carolina – from car crashes and falls to overdoses and violence. Many of these injuries can be prevented, but we need to first understand when, where and how they happen.

That’s where injury data comes in.

Alcohol Awareness Month began in 1987. The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence created it to help people understand how alcohol affects our communities.

Alcohol use has a big impact on the health of people in North Carolina.

Thinking about a fresh start in the New Year?

Dry January is a great way to kick off 2026 on a healthy note. Start the year by taking part in a month-long break from alcohol. You may experience certain health benefits, such as improved sleep or weight loss.

No amount of alcohol is safe for your health. Each drink increases the risk of harm.

Alcohol use can increase the risk of:

Halloween is a time for costumes, fun and lots of candy! But before you or your kids dig into that trick-or-treat bag, know there are two steps you can take to stay safe and enjoy your treats.

On Halloween, families go door-to-door trick-or-treating. One of the biggest safety risks is passing cars.