Alcohol Awareness Month 2023: Bringing Awareness Behind the Bar

Updated November 8, 2026. This article was written for Alcohol Awareness Month in April 2023 and reviewed as of this update. Statistics are those cited by ABC on March 30, 2023. It is general information, not legal advice or medical advice.

Awareness starts behind the bar

Every April, Alcohol Awareness Month invites communities to talk about the harms of alcohol misuse. Most of the conversation in the hospitality industry focuses on guests: checking IDs, refusing service to intoxicated patrons, and preventing drunk driving. Those are essential. But this year, it is worth turning part of the conversation inward, toward the people who work in bars and restaurants every day.

On March 30, 2023, the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) announced its recognition of Alcohol Awareness Month. “Raising awareness is important in preventing alcohol-related deaths and traffic crashes,” said ABC Director Eric Hirata. “Alcohol Awareness Month is an opportunity to talk about the dangers of alcohol misuse and promote safety on our roads.”

This guide looks at what awareness can mean for a hospitality workplace: the numbers behind the month, the habits that put staff at risk, and practical policies managers can adopt.

The numbers behind the month

ABC’s release cited several figures:

• According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 140,000 people die each year from excessive alcohol use in the United States.
• In 2020, 11,654 people died in alcohol-related crashes, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). NHTSA’s 2020 fact sheet provides more detail.
• Alcohol is the fourth-leading cause of preventable death in the United States, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA).
• About 18.5 percent of emergency room visits involve alcohol.
• Alcohol misuse cost the U.S. an estimated $249 billion in 2010, and NHTSA estimates that drunk driving crashes cost the country $44 billion each year.

The CDC’s alcohol use pages describe the health effects of excessive drinking, including binge drinking and heavy drinking, in more detail. Current note (November 8, 2026): the CDC page now estimates about 178,000 deaths each year from excessive alcohol use, based on 2020 to 2021 data published after ABC’s 2023 release.

Why hospitality workers face extra risk

People who work in bars and restaurants are surrounded by alcohol, often work late, and often finish their shifts with a lot of adrenaline and nowhere to go but another bar. Several habits common in the industry can make alcohol misuse easier to slip into:

• Shift drinks. A free drink at the end of a shift is a tradition in many places. For some workers, one becomes several.
• Drinking with guests. Regulars sometimes buy rounds for the bartender, creating pressure to drink on the job.
• Late-night culture. Staff who finish at 2 a.m. often socialize at the only places still open.
• Stress and burnout. Long shifts, difficult guests, and irregular income take a toll. Our article on Handling Intoxicated Guests Without Burning Out looks at how service skills can reduce that strain.

None of this means hospitality workers are doomed to drink too much. It means that awareness, policies, and support matter.

Drinking on duty: a safety and legal issue

A server or bartender who has been drinking is less able to judge a guest’s intoxication, check an ID carefully, or handle a conflict. The decisions servers make every shift depend on clear judgment. That is why many businesses ban drinking on duty entirely.

ABC’s model house policies are a useful starting point for writing workplace rules. A clear policy might say:

• Employees may not consume alcohol before or during a shift.
• Employees may not accept drinks from guests while working. Offer staff a polite script for declining.
• Shift drinks, if offered at all, are limited, served after clocking out, and never given to an employee who is driving.
• Managers may send home any employee who appears impaired.

Write the policy down, include it in onboarding, and apply it consistently.

Rethinking the shift drink

Some businesses have dropped the free shift drink entirely and replaced it with a shift meal, a nonalcoholic beverage, or a small credit toward food. Others keep it but limit it to one drink, served only after clocking out, with a ride-home check. Whatever you choose, think about the message it sends. A culture where the reward for a hard shift is always alcohol can make it harder for staff who are trying to cut back.

Talking about alcohol at work

Alcohol Awareness Month is a natural time for a short pre-shift conversation. Managers can:

• Share a few facts from the CDC, NIAAA, or NHTSA.
• Remind staff of the house policies on drinking on duty and accepting drinks.
• Mention available resources without singling anyone out.
• Invite staff to suggest nonalcoholic drinks for the menu or ideas for safer promotions.

Keep the tone supportive. The goal is to make it easier for anyone who is struggling to ask for help, not to lecture.

Supporting staff who need help

Managers are not counselors, but they can point people toward help. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Helpline, 1-800-662-4357, is a free, confidential, 24-hour information and referral service. NIAAA’s Alcohol Treatment Navigator helps people find quality treatment options.

Some practical steps:

• Post helpline information in the break room.
• Check whether your health plan or an employee assistance program covers counseling or treatment.
• Handle concerns privately and respectfully.
• Focus conversations on observable work performance and safety rather than diagnoses.

Awareness on the floor

Staff awareness and guest safety go together. A team that understands how alcohol affects the body is better at spotting intoxication, pacing service, and refusing service calmly. Useful facts to share:

• The NIAAA’s standard drink guide explains that a 12-ounce beer, a 5-ounce glass of wine, and a 1.5-ounce shot of spirits each contain about the same amount of alcohol.
• The body processes alcohol at a relatively steady rate. Coffee, cold showers, and water do not speed it up.
• Food slows absorption but does not prevent intoxication.

Business and Professions Code section 25602 prohibits serving an obviously intoxicated person, and section 25658 prohibits furnishing alcohol to anyone under 21. Responsible Beverage Service (RBS) training, required since July 1, 2022 for on-sale servers and managers and described on ABC’s RBS program page, covers these topics in depth.

The drive home after a late shift

Hospitality workers often drive home in the early morning hours, when NHTSA’s data show the risk of alcohol-impaired driving is highest. NHTSA’s 2020 fact sheet found that the rate of alcohol impairment among drivers in fatal crashes was 3.1 times higher at night than during the day. A tired bartender who has had a shift drink or two and then a drink with coworkers is exactly the kind of driver traffic safety campaigns warn about.

Businesses can help by:

• Never serving a shift drink to an employee who will be driving.
• Offering a rideshare credit or arranging rides for staff after late or high-volume shifts.
• Encouraging coworkers to look out for each other at the end of the night.
• Treating a manager’s offer to call a car as normal, not embarrassing.

Managers set the tone

Staff watch what managers do more than what policies say. A manager who drinks with regulars at the bar, or who encourages staff to “have one with us,” undercuts every written rule. Managers who stay sober on duty, decline drinks from guests politely, and leave the venue professionally show that responsible behavior is part of the job. For more on manager responsibilities, see RBS Decision-Making Skills for New Managers.

Owners can also review their own practices. Do incentive programs reward staff only for alcohol sales? Are staff parties built around open bars? Small changes, such as rewarding food sales or hosting a staff event with good nonalcoholic options, can shift the culture.

Welcoming guests in recovery

Awareness also means making space for guests who do not drink, including people in recovery. A strong nonalcoholic menu, staff who never ask why a guest is not drinking, and a habit of offering water and zero-proof options to every table all make a venue more welcoming. Many guests who are not drinking are still there to celebrate, and they remember the places that treated them well.

Off-sale retailers

Grocery, convenience, and liquor stores can take part as well. April is a good month to review ID procedures with clerks, check that self-checkout settings require staff approval for alcohol, and remind employees to refuse sales to customers who appear obviously intoxicated. Stores can also display prevention materials from local coalitions or public health agencies near the alcohol aisle.

Events and activities for April

• Add a featured mocktail to the menu for the month.
• Promote designated driver perks; see Nonalcoholic Drinks and Designated Drivers.
• Partner with a local prevention group or coalition on an awareness event.
• Review your incident log for patterns, such as frequent refusals at certain hours.
• Schedule refresher training for staff whose certification dates are approaching.

For a look at how ABC marked Alcohol Awareness Month the year before, see our 2022 Alcohol Awareness Month article.

Measuring progress

Awareness efforts work best when someone follows up. Managers can track how many staff use rideshare credits, whether shift-drink policies are followed, and whether incident reports involving staff decline over time. Ask for anonymous feedback on whether employees feel comfortable raising concerns. Small, steady improvements over the year matter more than a single April campaign, and they show staff, month after month, that the business truly means what it says.

Frequently asked questions

Can we ban employees from drinking on duty?

Yes. Many businesses do, and it is a common house policy.

Should we stop offering shift drinks?

That is a business decision. Limiting shift drinks to after clocking out, and never to an employee who is driving, reduces risk.

Where can an employee get confidential help?

SAMHSA’s National Helpline, 1-800-662-4357, is free, confidential, and available 24 hours a day.

The bottom line

Alcohol Awareness Month is a reminder of the toll alcohol misuse takes: deaths, injuries, crashes, and billions of dollars in costs. For hospitality businesses, awareness can start with the team. Clear policies on drinking at work, a fresh look at the shift drink, and quiet support for anyone who needs help make for a healthier workplace and, in turn, safer service for every guest.

Sources

1. ABC: April Is Alcohol Awareness Month (Mar. 30, 2023)
2. CDC: Alcohol Use and Your Health
3. NHTSA: Alcohol-Impaired Driving, 2020 Data (2022)
4. NIAAA: What Is a Standard Drink?
5. SAMHSA: National Helpline
6. NIAAA: Alcohol Treatment Navigator
7. ABC: Model House Policies
8. ABC: Responsible Beverage Service (RBS) Program

This article is general information, not legal advice.