Report: Alcohol Consumption Costs State Billions
GREEN BAY, Wis. -- A new report shows excessive alcohol consumption costs Wisconsin $6.8 billion a year. Today Health First Wisconsin released the report, the first of its kind in the state.
The figure equals $1,200 per person in Wisconsin. " We've always known that Wisconsin has a serious problem with alcohol," executive director of Health First Wisconsin Maureen Busalacchi said. "Excessive alcohol use costs us $6.8 billion and results in 1,500 deaths a year."
Public health advocates, law enforcement officials, medical professionals and others joined Health First Wisconsin in reporting its findings at news conferences in Madison, Milwaukee, Green Bay, Wausau and La Crosse Tuesday.
The organization used a national study of the estimated economic cost of alcohol abuse and Wisconsin's proportion of binge drinkers to reach its findings.
Kasey Hott is following this story and will have a full report tonight on NBC26 Live at 6:00.
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