Last week the CDC released a study that concluded: "Binge drinking is reported by one in eight U.S. adult women and one in five high school girls. Women who binge drink tend to do so frequently and with high intensity. Most high school girls who reported current alcohol use also reported binge drinking."
http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6201a3.htm?s_cid=mm6201a3_w

This growing trend in "keeping up with the boys" can have long term public health implications. 

CDC: "Implications for Public Health Practice: More widespread implementation of evidence-based interventions, such as those recommended by the Guide to Community Preventive Services and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, would be expected to reduce the frequency and intensity, and ultimately the prevalence of binge drinking among women and girls, and the harms related to it. "

Phosphatidylethanol (PEth)* is an alcohol biomarker (an evidence based marker) that can detect the difference between binge drinking and steady state use without worry of adulteration, bias, or incidental exposure for as far back as three weeks. The chart below shows the ability to detect drinking behaviors.