A new national report has confirmed what many Midwesterners already know: citizens of the central states enjoy their alcohol.

But what Wisconsinites may not be aware of is how high the state's binge drinking rate is above the national average. Binge drinking is defined, for the study, as more than five drinks on one occasion.

The "2003 State Estimates of Substance Use" study was released by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Feb. 14, according to spokeswoman Leah Young.

It estimated 28.98 percent of Wisconsin residents binge on alcohol in a typical month, significantly above the nation's 22.75 percent average. Young said estimates are based on interviews conducted during 2002 and 2003, the most recent data available.

Wisconsin's binge drinking rate is second in the country only to North Dakota's 31.37 percent.

Binge alcohol use is particularly higher among people between 18 and 25 in Wisconsin than the nation as a whole, 54.87 percent compared with 41.25 percent.

The reasons for the high level of binge drinking in the state go far beyond college-age partying, according to Wisconsin Association on Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Board member Susan Crowley.

"In many parts of Wisconsin the local tavern functions as a community center," Crowley said. "Everyone is taught from early on that alcohol is a part of socializing."

Although no one can pinpoint exactly why Wisconsin's binge drinking rate is so high, it certainly cannot be lowered without a change in Wisconsinites' general attitude toward alcohol, she said.

"It's very hard to say to a young person, 'do as I say, don't do as I do,'" she said. "Until we change the culture in the whole community, we can't change it among young people."

She pointed to easy access to cheap alcohol and heavy promotion of drinking at sporting events as other factors encouraging binge drinking.

A problem cited by Ann Bradley, spokeswoman for the National Institute on Alcohol and Alcoholism, is the varying definitions of binge drinking. She said discrepancies in how binging is measured makes comparing the states' rates difficult.

"What's a binge for someone is not a binge for someone else," Bradley said. "Our institute says it is a pattern of drinking that brings blood alcohol content to .08 percent or above."

Attaining this level of alcohol usually takes five or more drinks for adult males and four or more drinks for adult females within two hours, according to Bradley.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration's study defines binge alcohol use as "five or more drinks on the same occasion."

But regardless of how binge drinking is defined, Crowley said Wisconsin's numbers are too high. She directs a program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison to help curb binging among students.

Crowley said the Policy, Alternatives, Community and Education or PACE program is in its ninth year trying to change attitudes about drinking at Madison.

"We're working hard to break down a culture that really supports high-risk drinking," she said. "It impacts not only the students but the whole community."

Dean of Student Development Mark McCarthy said Marquette does not have a program that mirrors PACE. He said the university makes most of its efforts to educate students about binge drinking during Preview and New Student Orientation.

"Some schools are out there defining what binge drinking is," McCarthy said. "We try to educate at the front end."

This article appeared in The Marquette Tribune on Feb. 24 2005.