The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism have thrown the gauntlet down and dared states to be drunk…or the opposite of that. They’ve released a report with the glitzy title of “Apparent Per Capita Alcohol Consumption: National, State, and Regional Trends, 1977-2012.” It is basically a report on the drunkest and least drunk states in the union. The booziest state is New Hampshire, which from this point on is to be known as “America’s Dying Liver.” Oddly enough New Hampshire also rates #1 in student loan debt.
According to the report 1980 was the biggest consumption year, but let’s face it, everyone was celebrating the end of the 70’s and who didn’t need a drink with Reagan taking office? Fast forward to the 2000’s and surprisingly the South is the least sippin’ region of the U.S. Yeah, the South doesn’t need booze to fuel crazy. It’s homegrown crazy, baby!
Another interesting fact is every state except for 7 have increased their consumption of booze in 2012 and 2011 – even Utah. Hell, Utah had a record year. However, when it comes to drinking per capita, Utah is number one with the least amount of binge drinkers of all 50 states according to Alternet’s reading of the data. This bit of information tells me two things:
1. Enough Utahns haven’t discovered Fireball. This is not a bad thing. Here’s proof.
2. They haven’t discovered Jagermeister either. This is not a bad thing either. Here’s proof.
To put this in perspective, New Hampshire drinks 2.33 gallons of booze per year and Utah 1.37 gallons of booze per drinker per year. Utah universities may not be on ‘Playboy’s’ list of party schools. Utahns can’t buy cold, high-point beers in liquor stores (cold being the keyword). Utahns aren’t performing legal keg stands either, but Utah can finally say it’s number one when it comes to something alcohol related.
