the past year is, indeed, a marker of heavy episodic drinking, this measure has a large variation in prevalence across cultures, and the variation is not necessarily in the same direction as variation in alcohol abuse and dependence. For example, Mexico has been shown to have a low-medium per-capita consumption rate when compared to countries with similar development [11], and a high abstention rate, but low levels of alcohol use disorders[12] and high levels of episodic and intoxicating drinking (such as the 5+/4+)[13]. According to a WHO report, Mexico exhibits one of the most “detrimental consumption patterns” (a value of 4) of any country, based on a large number of heavy drinking occasions, drinking outside of meals, a high level of fiesta drinking, and drinking in public places, etc., as opposed to a country exhibiting the least detrimental consumption pattern (a value of 1), based on few heavy drinking occasions, drinking with meals, no fiesta drinking, and little drinking in public places[13]. By contrast, in this same region and with a similar level of development, Argentina has a higher per capita consumption than Mexico (almost double), a low abstention rate, a much higher prevalence of alcohol dependence compared to Mexico,
