Alcohol Consumption Is A National Plague And A National Shame.

This article is about Who is fighting it, and Who is spreading it.

Note: Prohibition did not prevent anyone in the United States from drinking, or making all the beer, whiskey and wine they wanted to, and to give there alcoholic drink to any and all of their friends and neighbors as much as they wanted to. So, under Prohibition, no one was prevented from drinking as much or as often as they wanted to. IT ONLY PREVENTED THE SALE OF ALCOHOL, that is all. It only PREVENTED MAKING A PROFIT ON OTHER PEOPLE’S MISERY, MAIMING, SICKNESS AND DEATH. Furthermore, alcohol consumption fell more than 75% during Prohibition, and if it wasn’t for the unholy alliance between the Democrat Party and organized crime in the big cities Prohibition would have been an even greater success and never been repealed. European cultures have been wallowing in the violence, disease, sickness, maiming, economic costs and death that come to an alcohol besotted society for thousands of years, and can’t be compared to America in any way. Certainly, they are no example of how to do anything right.

The Liquor Industry is Stridently and Aggressively Pro-Drinking, and is strongly opposed to any government regulation of Alcohol manufacture, sales, and consumption of any sort: It does not hesitate to use misleading statements to characterize opponents of the Liquor Industry, as the “anti-alcohol industry.” That is a flat lie. There is no such thing as an “anti-alcohol industry.” There are public individuals and non-profit organizations that oppose drinking such as, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, but there is no “company” or profit making group of any sort that opposes drinking. This false statement is typical of the viciousness of the profit hungry liquor poison industry’s attack on any, and all, people who, individually, or collectively, oppose alcoholic addiction, and the consequent abuse of alcohol that results in a massive and tragic loss of life and limb, and the destruction of billions of dollars in property. Drinking costs this nation an estimated trillion dollars each year, on top of the money wasted on buying the alcohol, which is enough to pay off the entire national debt in just 5 years.

Good hearted concerned citizens who recognize, often through traumatic personal tragedies, the holocaust and genocide produced by the liquor industry, comprise a large number of organizations, groups and individual activists who believe that the public health demands that society regulate, and control, as much as possible, alcohol, and its consumption. Some believe in complete prohibition, while others just want to steadily reduce the average consumption of alcohol to lower and lower levels hoping, somehow, it just goes away: Less alcohol consumed is good, but any alcohol consumed can, and often is, deadly dangerous to the drinker and others they come in contact with.

There are a wide range of methods society has found consistently efficient in reducing alcohol consumption. Among them is making alcoholic beverages more expensive and more difficult to obtain. Availability, and low cost can be thought of as the mother of abuse.

Let’s face it: Alcohol is, in and of itself, the cause of all drinking problems, and the availability of alcohol is what causes people to drink, and to drink ever more. The cheaper and more available it is, the more people will drink it. This is just common sense. Of course the trillion dollar liquor industry denies all this. It has always been true that if anyone wants to do something wrong, a thousand excuses can always be brought forward to justify that wrong conduct.

The Liquor Industry Maintains the Lame Defense that it is the speed of alcohol consumed, rather than the amount of alcohol consumed that is the problem. They also try to point to the social environment in which drinking takes place as the problem, and trump up other extraneous reasons to explain away the ill effects of drinking. Anything to take the focus off of alcohol itself. It is like saying that heroin and other addictive narcotics are fine, and would be ok to consume, if we could just arrange to have them consumed in various “responsible” ways, by “responsible” people, and see that they are consumed in “responsible” situations. This argument is wholly silly, but it is about all the alcohol drug pushers have to fall back on.

Alcohol Education should focus on the problems that alcohol consumption causes and should promote abstinence along the lines followed by reputable organizations, like AA, Alcohol Anonymous. We all should be members of AA, to tell the truth.

Taxes should be steadily increased on alcohol to offset some of the enormous costs society incurs in tolerating alcohol consumption. Drunk Driving alone kills 15,000 people yearly and cripples a hundred thousand others. In just 70 years this is amounts to a million Americans killed by drunk driving, more people than we have lost in all our wars of the last 400 years since the settlement of this nation.

The Liquor Industry Opposes limiting or reducing the number of sales outlets for alcohol, limiting the alcohol content of drinks, regulating, prohibiting, or controlling liquor advertising, especially to kids, requiring warning messages with all alcohol advertisements, expanding the warning labels on alcohol packaging, expanding the display of warning signs where alcohol is sold, limiting the days or hours during which liquor can be sold, increasing server liability for loss of life and property that occurs because of drinking, limiting the sale of liquor to young people, decreasing the legal blood alcohol content (BAC) level for driving vehicles or other activities that could result in death or injury, and eliminating the tax deductibility of alcohol beverages as a business expense. In short, they never saw a bottle of whiskey or someone drinking it that they didn’t love.

A main goal of those against alcohol addiction is wherever possible to try to establish cultural rather than strictly legal restraints on this highly addictive drug, by making drinking less socially acceptable and marginalizing those who do drink. The liquor industry always wants to point to “responsible” consumption, which can usefully be compared to being half pregnant. Either a person is a drinker, or they are not. If they drink, they are playing with fire that can and will, sooner or later, burn them and those around them.

Here are a few of the major organizations and leaders who selflessly fight the liquor industry day after day: All of them are non-profit charitable, educational and religious organizations largely staffed by concerned public spirited individuals.

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation attempts to stigmatize alcohol, de-legitimize drinking, and marginalize drinkers. It spent over a quarter of a billion dollars in just four years alone further developing and funding a nation-wide network of anti-alcohol organizations, centers, activist leaders, and opinion writers to achieve its long-term goal. It helps to produce articles designed for the news media, and attempts to affect public policy toward limiting alcohol marketing, and increasing taxes on liquor. It also helps organize grassroots anti-alcohol consumption organizations.

Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA)

Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth (CAMY)

The Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth (CAMY) has been assisted by the Pew Charitable Trusts, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The stated mission of CAMY is to monitor “the marketing practices of the alcohol industry to focus attention and action on industry practices that jeopardize the health and safety of America’s youth.” It explains that “reducing high rates of underage alcohol consumption and the suffering caused by alcohol-related injuries and death among young people” requires limiting the appeal of alcohol beverages to young people and their access to them.” CAMY seeks to create “public outrage” against alcohol advertising that is doing so much harm to the nation and our children.

Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI)

A major goal of CSPI is reducing the alcohol consumption of adults, even among moderate drinkers. A full-time director, George Hacker, and his staff work toward this goal through the group’s Alcohol Policies Project. Both CSPI and its Alcohol Policies Project are dedicated to “preventing alcohol” rather than just trying to “prevent” abuse alone.

Coalition for the Prevention of Alcohol Problems

It is a coalition of alcohol awareness groups co-chaired by George Hacker of the Alcohol Policies Project and Stacia Murphy of the National Council on Alcohol and Drug Dependence (NCADD). Members of the Coalition include the Women’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU), the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormon Church), the American Council on Alcohol Problems (earlier called the Anti-Saloon League), the Temperance League of Kentucky, the General Board of Global Ministries, and the Illinois Church Action on Alcohol Problems. The Coalition’s Steering Committee meets weekly in Washington to set its agenda and plan its political strategy.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD)

Mothers Against Drunk Driving was created in 1980 to reduce drunk driving and the death and injury that it can cause. Over time, temperance forces have gained control of MADD and it has largely become anti-alcohol rather than anti-drunk driving. Candy Lightner, the founder and first President of MADD was fired by the organization because she had become too soft on alcohol addiction.

Office of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse (AMA)

The American Medical Association (AMA) first passed a resolution supporting abstinence from alcohol, even before National Prohibition was imposed in 1920, and continues to support abstinence as the best cure. This may be because so many physicians see the consequences of alcohol abuse.

Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP)

The Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) is a funded federal agency that promotes the reduction-of-consumption: “Less alcohol is always still too much alcohol.”

Marin Institute

The Marin Institute for the Prevention of Alcohol and Other Drug Problems is a substantailly endowed organization that promotes reduction of consumption of alcohol policies.

National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence

The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) was founded by the first female member of Alcoholics Anonymous and has a nationwide network of 95 Affiliates. However, it doesn’t limit its activities to fighting the abuse of alcohol and drugs . It opposes the use of alcohol, even in moderation by adults of legal drinking age. NCADD’s belief is that “As a society, we’ve got to do a far better job of persuading our citizens and our young people that alcohol use is a dead end, that they are playing Russian roulette, not only with their own lives, but with the lives of friends, neighbors, and loved ones.”

American Council on Alcohol Problems

The American Council on Alcohol Problems is a federation of state affiliates promoting the reduction of consumption of alcohol. The Council was known as the Anti-Saloon League from 1893 until 1948, the Temperance League until 1950, the national Temperance League until 1964, and now as the American Council on Alcohol Problems. It partners with George Hacker’s Alcohol Policies Project at the Center for Science in the Public Interest and other alcohol awareness groups.

Facing Alcohol Concerns through Education (FACE)

Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation (PIRE)

Some Facts:

Alcohol is the dirtiest drug we have. It permeates and damages all tissue in the brain and body. No other drug can cause the same degree of harm that it does.

Alcohol is harmful to the body.

Alcohol is a poison, and drinking it can lead to death.

Alcohol is toxic.

Alcohol effects on men are that hormone levels change, causing lower sex drive and enlarged breasts.

Alcohol is a gateway drug leading people into illegal drug use.

Alcohol can cause deterioration of the heart muscle.

These statements were made by officials representing governmental agencies. In light of this information, is it any wonder we should try to stigmatize alcohol consumption? The key fact is that there is little difference between moderate drinking and alcohol abuse. This has led the U.S. Department of Education, to direct colleges and universities to reject educational programs which promote “responsible” drinking among adults, and instead favor a simple call for abstinence. It should be noted that two-thirds of undergraduates are of legal drinking age.

College student drinking is increasing.

The rate of alcohol-related traffic crashes is going up.

Alcohol advertising causes young people to begin drinking, or drink more.

Alcoholic can be stigmatized by referring to it as booze. For example, George Hacker’s Alcohol Policies Project at the Center for Science in the Public Interest publishes “Booze News.”  The words “kids boozing” have proved very effective.

Stigmatizing alcohol also involves equating legal alcohol consumption with illegal drug use. For example, federal guidelines direct agencies to substitute “alcohol and drug use” and “alcohol and other drug use,” for “substance abuse” and to avoid use of the term “responsible drinking” altogether.

It helps for alcohol to be associated with crack cocaine and other illegal drugs by discussing them in the same paragraph. For example, a poster picturing a wine cooler warns “Don’t be fooled. This is a drug.” The word “drug” has negative connotations and is a good way to help stigmatize “booze.” The idea is that parents who use alcohol in moderation are little more than drug abusers whose example should be rejected by their children.

Mixed Messages by pro-alcohol commercial interests:

The following statements have been identified by the US government’s Center for Substance Abuse Prevention as sending mixed messages, and therefore should be avoided.

• Alcohol helps many people relax or be more sociable at parties.
• Any substance, in and of itself, is neither good nor bad. It is only the improper use, misuse, or abuse of the substance that is bad.
• It’s fine to relax with a beer at the end of a hard day, but know your limit. Many people use alcohol in social settings to relax and to celebrate special occasions. There is nothing wrong with social drinking as long as one stays within moderation and does not drive after drinking.
• If you want to teach your children to be responsible with alcohol, be a responsible drinker yourself.
• All of these statements are incorrect. All of these statements mislead.

All of the misleading statements listed above are characteristic of societies in which alcohol abuse is common, and in which commercial interests profiting from alcohol consumption have a monetary interest in increased drinking. Therefore, they send mixed and conflicting messages to young people and adults. Additionally, saying that that physicians in the past often prescribed alcohol to their patients for its beneficial effects is misleading in depicting an age that had few, if any, other ways to relieve pain. These misstatements used now only send conflicting “mixed messages.”

Major Players:

Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA)

Center on Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) and its Alcohol Policies Project.

Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP)

Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth (CAMY)

Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD)

American Medical Association (AMA) and its Office for Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse, funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Henry Wechsler

Leadership to Keep Children Alcohol Free

Trauma Foundation

Marin Institute

Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation

Join Together Online,

ImpacTeen

A Matter of Degree

Fighting Back

Some Grassroots Organizations dedicated to reducing or preventing underage alcohol use:

Pennsylvanians Against Underage Drinking

Texans Standing Tall – A Statewide Coalition to Reduce Underage Drinking

Louisiana Alliance to Prevent Underage Drinking

Oregon Coalition to Reduce Underage Drinking

Missouri’s Youth/Adult Alliance Against Underage Drinking

National Capital Coalition to Prevent Underage Drinking

Minnesota Join Together Coalition to Reduce Underage Drinking

Georgia Alcohol Policy Partnership

Puerto Rico Coalition to Reduce Underage Drinking

Indiana Coalition to Reduce Underage Drinking

Partners to Reduce Underage Drinking in North Carolina

Connecticut Coalition to Stop Underage Drinking

Mothers Against Drunk Driving is now calling for the removal and banning of any and all alcohol ads throughout the entire Boston subway system.

Diminishing per capita consumption across the board can help contain the social consequences of alcohol abuse. Therefore, we must engage in a long-term war to reduce overall drinking by all Americans. Tactics should include, increased taxes, roadblocks to nail drunk drivers before they can kill. A steady reduction of liquor advertising can help and tie in with an effective “environmental” approach.

Environmental Approaches seek to direct blame away from the alcohol abuser, who is seen as a sick victim of a dangerous drug, to society in general, and alcohol pushers in particular. These pushers are seen as public enemy number one who, if not put out of business, should at least be loaded down with restrictions penalties and taxes in order to make their business as difficult, costly and complex as possible. The environmental approach message to typical consumers is that drinking is abnormal and unacceptable, and decent people should, “Just Say No.”

Alcohol Awareness Groups pursue programs that focus on every alcohol target, at every level from local community groups to state and federal legislation. Every demographic group is addressed: women, children, the middle class, business managers, Hispanics, Blacks, Whites, and Native Americans. Every legal means is advocated and used, including, taxation, regulation, and litigation. Public relations tactics include, grassroots advocacy, paid advertising, and influencing the press. Locations addressed include, college campuses, sporting events, restaurants, cultural activities, inner cities, residential neighborhoods, and restaurants and bars, seeking in every way possible to marginalize and reduce drinking by driving it underground as deep as possible, and away from mainstream culture and public places.

Conclusion: Drinking is bad for living things, and tends to make everyone Unhealthy, Unwealthy, and Unwise.

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