The Drunkest States in America

[DainBramaged]

This fall, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) released a comprehensive study of alcohol consumption per capita for every state in the U.S. as of 2007. Essentially, the NIAAA gathered up data on alcohol sales for each state and then divided it by census population numbers, including any person 14 or older (can’t forget all those underage drinkers). The results are broken down into consumption of beer, wine and spirits, so you can learn if people in different states are more likely to be beer guzzlers or wine snobs.


http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/Resources/DatabaseResources/QuickFacts/AlcoholSales/consum03.htm

Per capita ethanol consumption for States, census regions, and the United States, 1970–2007. (Gallons of ethanol, based on population age 14 and older)


http://www.mainstreet.com/slideshow/lifestyle/drunkest-states-america
The Drunkest State: New Hampshire

Total Alcohol Consumed: 48.7 gallons per person

Beer: 309.3 cans per person

Wine: 29.4 bottles per person

Spirits: 4.3 gallons per person

[Fuzz]

1. I wasn't counted because I could bring NJ up 1 rank just by myself!

;)

[Abq_Sarah]

2. DC ~ all beverages:

3.95




Figures.

I wonder what the breakdown looks like when Congress isn't in session.

[Jamastiene]

5. That depends on if Max Baucus has left town yet.

:hide:

[Quantess]

3. How interesting. Oregon outdrank CA and WA the past few years.

Even though in California you can buy liquor at corner stores and grocery stores.

[depakid]

7. Better beer...

:beer:

[sandnsea]

9. And many new wineries

I'm not sure whether that is a consumption survey, or a sales divided by people over age 14. If they're taking using sales to equate to consumption, then you're not going to get an accurate figure.

[Jamastiene]

4. They must have missed a loooooot of people in North Carolina.

I don't think I've ever EVEN MET anyone in North Carolina that wasn't drunk as a skunk. Think about it. How else would we cope with living here?

[Digit]

15. You are too funny!

I quickly went to the stats for NC for almost the same reason. Seriously, I have been to parties and people think nothing of getting behind the wheel when they have had too much to drink.

I have never seen so many repeat DWI's in my life.
One woman 3 doors down from my mother had 7 DWI's (at last count), and she was in her early 30's.

I don't get it.
:shrug:

[jmowreader]

6. The report doesn't seem to make a lot of sense

Rather than reporting this in "gallons of ethanol" it would have made more sense to report as "gallons of beverage."

Example: Alabama in 2007 is reported to have consumed 1.24 gallons of ethanol as beer per capita. You have to do a LOT of math to get to the point where you can see five quarts of pure ethanol works out to 11 cases of beer per person--not really that much, it's less than a six-pack per week. (Numbers done on 5-percent beer, and not the freakin' Kulminator some of you guys like.) Wouldn't it have made more sense just to say the average Alabaman drinks five beers per week?

[DainBramaged]

8. Click on the mainstreet link and click through

they did the math for you

[nealmhughes]

10. An awful lot of people in Mass drive up to NH to buy booze and big ticket items.

There is an exit right off the interstate that is dedicated to the sale of booze and lotto tickets on I-95, right past the state line with Mass. No sales tax in NH, but no income tax in Maine, so smarties live in Maine and shop in NH, leaf people live in Mass. and occasionally shop in Maine and NH, on their way to the rock beach and watch leaves. They cannot figure out the Route 1 traffic circle, much less the Route 1A one in Kittery, so locals are able to say "You cahn't get theah from heah," or else make them go from one traffic circle to the next and then show them the Trading Post is "twice around the circle and then bear right when the sign says Kittery Trading Post." They usually do go twice around the circle, too. Really malicious locals send them to 95, then to downtown Portsmouth, over the drawbridge, then to the Kittery traffic circle after they have had to negotiate the Portsmouth one, and then repeat a couple of times, but they get their Wigwam socks and lobster dinner, and can stop on the highway in Seabrook to get some cheap hooch and a lotto on their way back to home in Bahstahn.

[pundaint]

12. In fact, there's a NH liquor store just over the border on every road of any size crossing from MA

to NH. If people are paying attention they will notice that NH prices have risen so that sale prices in MA are usually now lower. Many of us are not yet broken of the habit of going to the packy on every trip north.

[HopeHoops]

16. And there's a REST AREA that's a huge liquor store on the way to the ski slopes!

Fun note: As you leave the rest area to return to the highway, there's a sign that says "Please Don't Drink And Drive".

[Nailzberg]

11. This study is flawed, cause #1 is obviously Wisconsin

[LiberalFighter]

13. Agreed

It is either flawed because they don't realize that it is legal in Wisconsin for anyone regardless of age to drink alcohol. Just need to have an adult or guardian with the minor. So that would mean the ranking should be lower.

Otherwise, the ranking should be higher because the other states don't include everyone as it should for Wisconsin.


And it is flawed for Kentucky and other states like it because they don't obtain all of their booze the same as other states. How much of it is homemade?

[alfredo]

14. You'd think the home of Bourbon would be supporting the industry.