binge drinking

"As a nation, when it comes to booze and women, we’ve failed. I’m not being judgey here, I mean we literally received a big fat “F” in that category on the latest women’s health report card. The culprit is binge drinking: The percentage of women who have “had five or more drinks on at least one occasion during the past month” has gone from 7.3 percent in 2007 to 10.6 percent this year, according to the National Women’s Law Center’s annual report" 

"New York magazine article put it: “should gender equality extend to drinking?” My answer is: yes and no. I’m more likely to order a beer and a shot of whiskey than a cosmo. I like to go against stereotypes like that. It is cocky and perhaps foolish — but, then again, the same can be said for my male friends when it comes to drinking. I might be driven by some vaguely third-wave feminist desire to “keep up with the boys” — but plenty of “the boys” are driven to keep up with each other, lest they appear unmanly. This is binge culture, and it isn’t strictly male or female anymore. We’re all full of bluster and far too much booze." 

TRACY CLARK-FLORY - 2010 - (http://www.salon.com/2010/12/09/binge_drinking_2/)

"During the last 20 years, there has been a general increase in drinking in nearly all age groups in the UK. "

"The researchers said the rise in female drinking was likely to be linked to greater financial security and the influence of advertising." 

(http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8034533.stm)