Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Special Report: In New Mexico, AlcohoI Kills Many More Than Is Typical
New Mexico In Depth: An Emergency Hiding in Plain Sight
New Mexicans die of alcohol-related causes at nearly three times the national average, higher by far than any other state. Alcohol is involved in more deaths than fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamines combined. In 2020, it killed more New Mexicans under 65 than Covid-19 did in the first year of the pandemic — all told, 1,878 people. (Alcorn, 7/24)
As part of a bigger series, New Mexico In Depth looks at alcoholism in context —
New Mexico In Depth: Poisonous Myths
Stereotypes about alcohol and Native people are hiding a crisis that’s bigger than any single group. (Alcorn, 7/24)
New Mexico In Depth: A Missing Ingredient
New Mexico is a violent state. It ranks among the worst for women murdered by men, child abuse and neglect are almost twice as common as they are nationwide, and its rate of suicide is one of the highest of any state. Last year, Albuquerque’s homicide rate shattered previous records, a 46% jump from 2020, and the state’s reached heights not experienced since 1986. (Alcorn, 7/24)
New Mexico In Depth: Eyes On The Road
For a generation, the state has spent tens of millions of dollars a year to curb intoxicated driving and its toll on New Mexicans. In-school programs and public information campaigns advertise the legal and physical consequences intoxicated drivers risk. Ward passes a billboard of the Department of Transportation’s END/DWI campaign adorned with one such message. “Be Safe, Not Sorry,” it cautions. But his eyes and presence on the road are at the heart of New Mexico’s strategy: identifying and removing intoxicated drivers, and alerting other motorists that the state is watching. (Alcorn, 7/24)
