Alcohol and Women: Trends and the Impact of the Legal Environment

20 West Mifflin Street,Madison WI 53703

14 December, 2022

Description

Recent numbers are showing frightening alcohol trends. In the U.S., excessive alcohol use is responsible for 1 out of 5 deaths in people aged 20 through 49, and 1 out of 4 deaths in people aged 20 through 35. More women report heavy alcohol consumption than previously, and alcohol-related liver disease in women has increased more than 50%. Higher levels of alcohol availability and consumption are associated with increased rates of accidental injury and increased violence, including domestic violence, homicide and suicide. Yet the variety and availability of alcohol beverages is greater than ever before in Wisconsin. This presentation will show some current trends in alcohol beverage consumption by women and related harms; discuss how federal, state, and local laws impact those trends; and then present some evidence-based policies that have been shown to be effective at an environmental level in reducing overall alcohol consumption. Felice Borisy-Rudin is the Policy Analyst at the Wisconsin Alcohol Policy Project (WisAPP) in the Comprehensive Injury Center of the Medical College of Wisconsin and the Municipal Judge for the Village of Shorewood Hills. She holds a JD from the University of Wisconsin Law School and a PhD in Neuroscience from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Prior to her current position, she worked as a municipal prosecutor and civil practice attorney, and represented clients in a variety of areas including contract disputes, family law, health law, municipal law, personal injury, and property disputes. She also served as a Trustee for the Village of Shorewood Hills for 11 years. At WisAPP, Felice combines a public health perspective with understanding of municipal law to provide training, technical assistance and tools for communities seeking to make environmental policy changes that reduce excessive alcohol use. Felice has presented about alcohol policy to attorneys, municipal judges, and people working in public health. In her free time, Felice enjoys spending quality time with family and friends, reading SF and mystery novels, cooking, and taking long walks.