Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska located on the River Missouri. Its metropolitan area is the 59th largest in the United States with an estimated population of 944,316. Omaha is nicknamed “Gateway to the West”. Omaha Stockyards and its meatpacking plants were one of the world’s largest in the 20th century.
Today, Omaha has several Fortune 500 and Fortune 1000 companies. The touristy city is home to Henry Doorly Zoo, one of the largest and most advanced zoos on the planet. Other tourist attractions include Old Market downtown, boutiques, several art centers, and museums. It is a beer lover’s paradise. They have a wide array of craft beers and have beer festivals throughout the year. A new brewery pops up almost every month.
Omaha has the largest furniture store in the U.S (Nebraska Furniture Mart) and the biggest jewelry store (Borsheim’s). Since it is an agricultural state, the restaurants serve locally sourced food and the Omaha Farmers Market offers fresh local produce, meat, and dairy in plenty.
What is the population growth of Omaha?
The population of Omaha was 465,233 in 2016. It has increased by 0.36% in 2017. Since 2000, the city has grown more than 13% and the state as a whole has increased steadily, although it has lagged behind the national average for more than twenty years. It is expected to continue moderate population growth in the coming decade.
84% of Omaha residents speak only English and the other majority speaks Spanish
Binge and underage drinking in Omaha:
Excessive consumption of alcohol over a short period of time is known as binge drinking. When a man consumes more than 5 drinks and a woman consumes more than 4 drinks over the course of 2 hours, it is considered binge drinking. The drinker’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC) reaches or exceeds 0.08 grams per 100 grams of blood.
As per the survey conducted by the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), approximately 2 out of every 5 college students of all ages (more than 40%) reported binge drinking at least once in the 2 weeks prior to the survey conducted.”
Underage drinking:
Underage drinking is higher because teens do not fully understand the consequences of drinking or even be aware of them. Immediate negative consequences include delayed puberty and brain damage. Indirect consequences include sexual assaults and car crashes post-drinking.
According to a report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, there were 10 million underage drinkers in 2010. Among these, 6.5 million were binge drinkers and 2 million were heavy drinkers.
Risk factors of underage drinkers:
People who start drinking at a young age are more likely to be dependent on alcohol for the rest of their lives. Teens whose family members have a drinking problem are more likely to develop the same problem. It makes them think this behavior is acceptable. They also tend to believe that alcohol makes them fit into society and hence they drink more heavily.
Consequences of alcohol abuse in college:
According to the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, the following statistics apply to college students between the ages 18 to 24.
- More than 690,000 are assaulted by another student who has been under the influence of alcohol
- More than 97,000 are victims of alcohol-related sexual assault or date rape
- About 1,825 die from alcohol-related unintentional injuries
- About 599,000 receive unintentional injuries while under the influence of alcohol
- About 25% report academic consequences of their drinking, including doing poorly in exams, missing classes, falling behind, and receiving lower grades
- More than 150,000 develop an alcohol-related health problem
- Between 1.2 – 1.5% indicate they tried to commit suicide within the past year due to drinking or drug abuse
Underage drinking in the state of Nebraska accounts for 25% of all alcohol sold in the state. In a ranking of states based on the alcohol percentage consumed by youth, with 1 being the highest, Nebraska ranked fifth.
