AWARE (All-Wisconsin Alcohol Risk Education) is a UW Health-convened coalition to improve the health and safety of Wisconsin residents in the fight against alcohol abuse.
The Problem
Our state has:
- The highest rates of alcohol consumption, binge drinking and heavy drinking among all U.S. states and territories in 2006.
- The highest alcohol use in the country (49 percent) among high school students in 2007.
- Three times the national arrest rate for liquor law violations from 1997 to 2006.
- Statewide costs in 2007 for alcohol-related accidents and medical conditions of $935 million.
- Increased by 2 percent the number of alcohol-impaired driving fatalities from 2006-2007.
The Solution
AWARE will focus on the following initiatives to help remedy Wisconsin's problem drinking:
- Increase the beer tax to fund law enforcement and alcohol abuse prevention and treatment
- Reduce drunk driving
- Decrease underage drinking
- Prohibit health insurance companies from denying claims for accident victims who test positive for alcohol and other drugs
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