Business and health officials gather to discuss the taxpayer's burden of alcohol abuse.
The goal is to find out how we can reduce the billions of dollars we spend every year on the costs of alcohol abuse, and its impact on individuals, businesses and communities in our state.
Sue Ann Thompson, founder and president of the Wisconsin Women's Health Foundation , hopes to find solutions by bringing together health care specialists, legislators, business owners, and the public to discuss the problem.
Thompson says, considering Wisconsin 's distinction of having the worst rate of binge and chronic heavy drinkers, and the worst rate of underage drinking in the country, it makes sense to discuss this today so it won't become a bigger problem tomorrow.
The annual economic impact of alcohol-related health and social problems in Wisconsin is nearly $5-billion. Every year, there are 1,300 alcohol-related deaths, 8,500 traffic crashes, 6,800 traffic injuries; 2,400 substantiated cases of child abuse and 90,000 arrests. Underage drinking cost Wisconsin citizens $1.2 billion in 2005.
The panel of political and business officials includes Dane County Executive, Kathleen Falk, Director of the State Public Defender Trial Division, Mike Tobin, and Tom Farley, Founder of the Chris Farley Foundation.
The Wisconsin Women's Health Foundation's 3rd Annual Dialogue, " The Economic Impact of Alcohol and What We Can Do to Affect Change " takes place at 8:00 am – 10:30 am at the Monona Terrace on Tuesday, September 16.