Each of these is a standard drink

How much is too much?
Heavy drinking and drug abuse are a major public health problem in our state. Diseases and accidents related to alcohol and drug abuse make it the fourth leading cause of death in Wisconsin.

But how much is too much? For drugs, the answer is simple: use of any illegal drug, or non-medical use of a prescription or over-the-counter drug that may be addictive, puts a person at risk for health or social problems.

When it comes to alcohol, the photo on the right shows the amount of a standard drink.

Recommended alcohol limits are:

• Men ages 21-64: No more than 14 drinks per week or more than 4 drinks in a day or evening

• Women ages 21-64 (who are not pregnant): No more than 7 drinks per week or more than 3 drinks in a day or evening

• Men and women 65 and older: No more than 7 drinks per week or more than 1 drink in a day or evening


These people should not drink any alcohol:

• Women who are pregnant or trying to become pregnant

• People who are about to drive or do anything that needs attention and skill

• People taking certain medications (over-the-counter or prescribed)

• People recovering from alcoholism

• People with medical conditions that can be made worse by drinking

• People under age 21



Ask yourself
If you think you may have a problem with drinking or drug use, ask yourself the following questions:

1. Think back to when you last had 5 or more drinks in a day or evening (if you're a man) or 4 or more drinks in a day or evening (if you're a woman). Was this within the last three months?

2. In the last 12 months, did you ever find yourself drinking or using drugs more than you meant to?

3. In the last 12 months, did you ever think that maybe you should cut down on your drinking or drug use?

4. In the last 12 months, did you smoke pot, use another street drug, or use a prescription painkiller, stimulant, or sedative for a non-medical reason?

These questions make up the brief screening given to any adult patient visiting a clinic participating in the Wisconsin Initiative to Promote Healthy Lifestyles (WIPHL). They are more effective than any other type of test, including breath, urine, and other laboratory tests, in indicating a possible drinking or drug abuse problem even at an early stage.

If you answered yes to any of these questions at a WIPHL partner clinic, a health educator would meet with you for further assessment and, depending on the results, provide a brief intervention or referral for treatment.

Whether or not your health care provider is at a WIPHL partner clinic--see clinics for a complete list--please talk to him or her about your concern.

You can also visit the following websites for more information:
Rethinking Drinking: http://rethinkingdrinking.niaaa.nih.gov/
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism: www.niaaa.nih.gov
National Institute on Drug Abuse: www.nida.nih.gov
For alcohol screening: www.alcoholscreening.org
To find treatment in your area: http://findtreatment.samhsa.gov

For immediate assistance by phone, call the toll-free national help line run by the SAMHSA Center for Substance Abuse Treatment: 1-800-662-HELP.