Panel Toasts New Decline in Liquor Use

Californians drank less alcohol in the last fiscal year, continuing a decade-long decline in the consumption of liquor, wine and beer, the California Council on Alcohol Problems reported.

Figures reported to the State Board of Equalization for fiscal year 1994-95 show that alcohol consumption was down more than 4%, both in the total amount consumed and in per-capita usage.

“Drunkenness, especially in public and on our roadways, is becoming increasingly socially unacceptable,” said Terrence Willhite, executive director of the council.

The biggest decline was in hard liquor consumption, which dropped 4.4%, from 1.27 gallons per capita in fiscal 1993-94 to 1.21 gallons per capita last fiscal year. Hard liquor drinking has declined about 51% since 1981, according to the council.

Wine consumption dropped to 2.68 gallons per capita, from 2.79 gallons per capita in the previous year. Beer drinkers tapered off from 19.57 gallons per capita to 18.74 gallons.