Illinois Ranks 7th Highest Binge Drinking State

Illinois is ranking 7th among the nation’s highest states for binge drinking. New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System places Illinois seventh in the country, with a binge drinking rate of nearly 20 percent. The study reviewed age-adjusted binge drinking rates across all 50 states, using data collected from 2011 through 2023. Researchers also tracked the average annual change over time to compare trends nationwide. Health officials define binge drinking as a pattern that raises blood alcohol concentration quickly, often increasing risks for crashes, injuries, liver disease, and other serious health problems.