As the economy tanks, people seem to be drinking their financial problems away, as research indicates more US peoples are hitting the bottle, with more white guys getting bombed than any other ethnic group.
Free, white and drunk:

Whites are more likely than blacks and Hispanics to get drunk. Twenty percent of white men drank to intoxication at least once a month, compared with just 13 percent of black men.

In Gallup poll released Friday, 67 percent of US adults claim to down at least one alcoholic beverage on occasion, the highest level in 15 years — and 72 percent of the those aged 18-to-54 appreciated alcohol.

(Illustration found here).

Income also apparently has played a factor in bellying up to the bar.
Gallup’s poll reported 81 percent of people making $75,000 a year enjoyed booze, but only 46 percent of those making less than $20,000 said they drank — no credit.
In order to survive in an employment environment where there’s five people after one job opening, booze, weed and just-plain bad behavior becomes the “new normal” for daily life.
The bubble-bursting of the American Dream alters perception, finances shift and life get’s a bit dicey:

“I’m seeing an increase in bad lifestyle choices,” confirms Jonathan Alpert, a New York psychotherapist and relationship columnist.
“People are staying up until the wee hours of the morning, there’s an increase in smoking, drinking and sexual behaviors like surfing porn and using hookers.”
…
People are also shoplifting more.
According to the Global Retail Theft Barometer study, stealing has risen 6% during the past year. Retailers attribute the increase in five-fingered discounting to the soured economy because of the items being pocketed–fresh meat, for instance, is a particular favorite.

As someone involved in retail liquor sales, it’s the economy, dumb-ass, and drink up!