Recent data from the Wisconsin State Council on Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse (AODA) Prevention Committee may cause you to think twice before tilting back that last brew of the night. The report titled “Moving Forward: Policies and Strategies to Prevent and Reduce Excessive Alcohol Use in Wisconsin” shows every county in the state has a higher excessive drinking rate than the national average of 17.6 percent when it comes to alcohol use. Door County even outpaces the state’s average with a 27.5 percent excessive drinking rate compared to 24.4 percent for Wisconsin. It comes as alcohol-related deaths jumped 25 percent in 2020. Door County AODA Coordinator Shauna Blackledge says she knew it was high, but she was surprised at where it was compared to the rest of the state.
The SCAODA report highlights 61 recommendations for improving the excessive drinking rate, which include increasing the alcohol tax, repealing language that allows the sale of alcohol to minors, and implementing public awareness campaigns. Blackledge encourages to attend one of the upcoming sessions led by Officer Jermaine Galloway, also known as the “Tall Cop.” They will take place at Stone Harbor Resort on May 4th from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Picture courtesy of Pixabay
