What state parties hardest? You might think California, or maybe New York—but it turns out North Dakota drinks the most alcohol.
Related: Drinking Alcohol Raises Cancer Risk by Causing Irreversible DNA Damage
Financial news site 24/7 WallStreet reviewed data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to rank which states had the heaviest drinkers. Binge drinking includes at least four drinks for women and five for men in a single instance. Women who drink at least eight alcoholic beverages per week and men who consume at least 15 are considered heavy drinkers.
They found that nearly 25 percent of adults drink excessively in North Dakota.The state also has a high percentage of alcohol-related driving deaths at 46.7 percent.
People in Tennessee appear to have the healthiest relationship with alcohol as only 11.2 percent drink excessively. Despite the lower incidence of alcohol-related accidents, which is at 28 percent, the Volunteer State does have a high rate of premature deaths. According to 24/7 Wall Street, 436 out of 100,000 people die before reaching 75, making it the eighth highest premature death rate in the nation.
It's a given that drinking—especially in excess—isn't good for us. But long-term heavy drinking can raise blood pressure, heart disease and cancer risk. In November 2017, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) issued a warning statement saying that even light or moderate drinking increases your risk of developing many cancers, including breast, colon and oral.
Below is the full list of the booziest states, ranked from least to most:
50. Tennessee
49. West Virginia
48. Utah
47. Alabama
46. Mississippi
45. New Mexico
44. Oklahoma
43. North Carolina
42. Arkansas
41. Idaho
40. Maryland
39. Nevada
38. Arizona
37. Kentucky
36. South Carolina
35. Delaware
34. Indiana
33. Georgia
32. Kansas
31. Texas
30. Virginia
29. Florida
28. Wyoming
27. New Jersey
26. Missouri
25. South Dakota
24. Washington
23. Rhode Island
22. California
21. Pennsylvania
20. New York
19. New Hampshire
18. Connecticut
17. Louisiana
16. Oregon
15. Colorado
14. Ohio
13. Massachusetts
12. Vermont
11. Maine
10. Michigan
9. Nebraska
8. Hawaii
7. Iowa
6. Minnesota
5. Illinois
4. Montana
3. Alaska
2. Wisconsin
1. North Dakota
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Melissa is a science writer covering health for Newsweek and has contributed to Inc., Dr. Oz The Good Life, Men's Fitness, Marie Claire and others. She earned ... Read more
To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, Click here.
