Here is Wisconsin we have no problem consuming alcohol...heck our former attorney general got a DUI while driving a state vehicle and today a former Senator got a DUI, we were also voted the drunkest state in the U.S.
Personally I prefer something a little more "kind"..
Cheese and wine...I can see that making sense
We can call you wiskies the lushest in the country if it makes you feel better ...but tbh I did not know you were the biggest drinkers..i have heard other biggest stories though...don't know if those are true either
_________________________________________________________
In general, I don't care about the numbers or long term health concerns. I think of life like this now a days...if life is a pretty diamond ring that is soo precious and special that you have to keep it in a box....it will never reflect light with the brilliance that makes them so desirable in the first place and therefor has no point...you have to enjoy life or it has no point.
That said I choose not to drink because I realize that I am a very angry drunk with heavy hands
(don't forget the inherent loss of judgement)...for the better of both myself and the people around me and their immediate health it is wise for me to choose not consume. Then there is the problem of getting from place to place...alcohol is like an anchor...dead weight. I also happen to be in physical pain 24 lovely hours a day and alcohol seems to exacerbate that condition.
Me drink...yeah that's what the world needs...another pissed off drunk with "a reason". But as I said in my first paragraph...you need to enjoy life or there is no point...but if you can consume alcohol and still not interfere with other people trying to live their lives...go RTF ahead and live it up.
As far as the numbers are concerned you have to consider that there is a lot of other substances that are used socially that can take away from people who are drinking because most smart people don't mix recreational substances. Where you are, there may just be less diversity of substances which would leave higher numbers of people to drink...then there is the locale's social stigma against using any particular substance and we all know peer-pressure is a mofo.
I say pick your poison...and ftr the workers who helped built the pyramids in Egypt, were plied with fish , wine and beer...and contrary to popular belief, they were not slaves but high valued people doing the most sought after labor job at the time. Short of being royalty or a priest, it was one of the most honored and respected jobs...and they were some of the only non royal class of citizens that were able to build tombs for each other when they died to be shown eternal honor. From ancient writings we have found from the common folk of ancient Egypt...the prime two sources of entertainment in those times
(for free citizens) was having nightly "flings" and getting drunk off of wine and beer.
Somethings never change.
Everything in moderation...