Let’s face it, as a nation goes, the United States sure knows how to hold its liquor. While far from the top of the list, the United States puts down a considerable amount of alcohol annually. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) the U.S. puts down about approximately 2,340 gallons of ethanol (pure alcohol) per capita annually.
If you combined that with the rest of the components of the drinks we make, there would be more than enough liquid to fill up several olympic sized swimming pools, on top of getting the entire country six sheets to the wind. However, not every state tends to indulge as heavy as others. According to the NIAAA’s state of the drinking nation, here are the 10 lowest states in the U.S based on alcohol consumption.
10th Least Drunk State: North Carolina
Total pure alcohol consumed: 2.01 gallons of ethanol (pure alcohol) per person
Beer: 186.68 cans per person (based on 4.5% alcohol content in a 16 oz. can)
Wine: 14.68 bottles per person (based on 12.9% alcohol content in a 25 oz. bottle)
Spirits: 5.5 bottles per person (based on 40% alcohol content in a 1-liter vodka bottle)
9th Least Drunk State: Ohio
Total pure alcohol consumed: 1.98 gallons per person
Beer: 215 cans per person
Wine: 11.1 bottles per person
Spirits: 4.6 bottles per person
7th / 8th Least Drunk State: Georgia*
Total pure alcohol consumed: 1.97 gallons per person
Beer: 184.9 cans per person
Wine: 9.9 bottles per person
Spirits: 6.3 bottles per person
7th / 8th Least Drunk State: Alabama*
Total pure alcohol consumed: 1.97 gallons per person
Beer: 202.5 cans per person
Wine: 9.4 bottles per person
Spirits: 5.6 bottles per person
*Georgia and Alabama are tied
6th Least Drunk State: Oklahoma
Total pure alcohol consumed: 1.91 gallons per person
Beer: 200.8 cans per person
Wine: 7.6 bottles per person
Spirits: 5.6 bottles per person
5th Least Drunk State: Kansas
Total pure alcohol consumed: 1.9 gallons per person
Beer: 190.1 cans per person
Wine: 5.6 bottles per person
Spirits: 6.5 bottles per person
4th Least Drunk State: West Virginia
Total pure alcohol consumed: 1.85 gallons per person
Beer: 138.8 cans per person
Wine: 6.8 bottles per person
Spirits: 4.3 bottles per person
3rd Least Drunk State: Kentucky
Total pure alcohol consumed: 1.79 gallons per person
Beer: 174.3 cans per person
Wine: 7.6 bottles per person
Spirits: 6.2 bottles per person
2nd Least Drunk State: Arkansas
Total pure alcohol consumed: 1.72 gallons per person
Beer: 174 cans per person
Wine: 7.1 bottles per person
Spirits: 5.3 bottles per person
Least Drunk State: Utah
Total pure alcohol consumed: 1.35 gallons per person
Beer: 121 cans per person
Wine: 7.2 bottles per person
Spirits: 4.6 bottles per person
It’s no surprise that these states are the lowest for alcohol consumption given the fact that they have some of the toughest alcohol control laws on the books which govern everything from hours and sales regulations to the alcohol content of a beer. In addition to having some of the harshest alcohol laws, these states are also the least forgiving when it comes to DUIs. If you’ve been charged with a DUI then you need to understand that it is a very serious matter.
A DUI conviction can mean time in jail, a suspension of your driving privileges as well as considerable fines, and those are only the court issued ramifications, which say nothing of the lasting collateral damage a DUI conviction can have on your life. If you’ve been charged with a DUI, then don’t take the chance, hire an experienced DUI defense attorney immediately.
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+Andrew is one of the leading DUI and criminal defense attorneys in both the state of Maryland and the District of Columbia. He blogs about Maryland DUI law, has numerous videos on the subject and has been asked to appear on national television to offer his legal opinion on high-profile criminal cases.