Sunday musings - May 26, 2024
Alcohol is a drug!
This Memorial Day weekend I am suggesting we take another look at our love affair with alcohol
If one attends AA or NA 12 step meetings one will be reminded that alcohol is a drug. Of course, at some level we all know this. Even so, when one reads of the grave concerns about drug abuse overdoses and deaths in the United States which continue to average just over 100,000 a year (nearly 108,000 in the year 2021-2022 as reported by the Center for drug abuse statistics) alcohol related deaths are not counted.
Weekly and sometimes daily, local news sources report a concern from politicians and sometimes medical personnel about the drug addiction crisis in the United States and other countries. We jail many people a year for possession and or selling opioid, meth and other similar illegal or prescription only drugs in this country. Until recently one could be jailed for possessing and/or selling relatively small amounts of marijuana. (The classification of marijuana at the Federal levek is just now being changed.) We jail some for alcohol related deaths or charge some with driving under the influences while promoting alcohol as the normal adult drink of choice for holidays, sporting events and celebrations such as weddings.
Few who are living today were alive during the relatively brief experiment of prohibition outlawing the sales of alcohol in this country. During this period the manufacturing and sales of alcohol products skyrocketed. The careers of many law enforcement personnel greatly benefitted during this time as did the tragic deaths of many. Clearly, criminalizing the making and selling of alcoholic drinks did not reduce consumption and, in fact, fueled the racketeers and bootleggers.
The national institute for drug abuse statistics report that an average of 140,000 people die a year from alcohol related deaths (those reported as such). In the year 2021-2022, 187,00 individuals died as a direct result of alcohol abuse in the United States. That is nearly 80,000 more than is reported for opioids, meth and other so called street drug overdoses in the same period. Yet, there is not a daily outcry. Every year some college students die of alcohol poisoning. Every year’s non-alcohol kidney failures complete with alcohol related kidney failures for a kidney transplant while fueling the kidney dialysis industry. College and professional sport teams promote the sales of alcohol at games. Charity organizations, including some veteran organizations, raise funds featuring the sale of and consumption of alcohol. Open bars are often a feature of weddings and other events.
Alcohol is often but not always addictive. Some of us can have an occasional glass of wine, a beer or a mixed drink without any danger of drinking until impairment. There may also be those who can occasionally use opioids, meth, and other potentially addictive drugs safely just as we know that there are those seemingly few who can safely use nicotine without becoming addicted.
It is true that a significant percentage of alcohol related deaths occur over a long period of time. The overdose rate of opioid drugs especially those laced with fentanyl may seem much higher and often more tragic because of the number of deaths of young people.
Alcohol is a drug. Alcohol kills more than any other legal drug except for nicotine. CDC reported approximately 480,000 nicotine related deaths in the United state in 2023. Yet, nicotine in various forms remains legal and gets minimal attention by those concerned with drug abuse deathser although more than alcohol.
I am not suggesting prohibition or criminalization of alcohol and nicotine. Obviously, that will not work. I am suggesting that we as a nation:
Quit allowing alcohol at sporting events, particularly at college games.
Outlaw advertising by alcohol manufactures; advertisements which only as an afterthought suggest it is a dangerous drug.
Outlaw all vaping products to those under 21.
Speed up the process of outlawing menthol cigarettes.
At the local, regional, state and federal level quit separating alcohol, nicotine, opioids, meth amphetamine, and other addictive “recreational” drugs as if some are socially healthy and some are not.
Decriminalize all drugs and treat addiction as the disease it is.
Use available resources to educate and treat addiction rather than making law enforcement the primary approach.
Quit pretending as if addition responds to punishment.
Recognize that addition is a chronic disease. A person can be in recovery mode but will not be cured. At the same time, it is proven that when individuals use daily recovery tools, it is possible to face life without active addiction.
Continue to fund research into the prevention, treatment and early diagnosis of addictions beginning at a very early age.
On this Memorial Day in the United States let us remind each other “Alcohol is an addictive drug.” Let us not host family events which include alcohol as if is a safe drug to consume.
Written May 26, 2024
Jimmy F Pickett
Coachpickett.org
Alcohol is a drug!
If one attends AA or NA 12 step meetings one will be reminded that alcohol is a drug. Of course, at some level we all know this. Even so, when one reads of the grave concerns about drug abuse overdoses and deaths in the United States which continue to average just over 100,000 a year (nearly 108,000 in the year 2021-2022 as reported by the Center for drug abuse statistics) alcohol related deaths are not counted.
Weekly and sometimes daily, local news sources report a concern from politicians and sometimes medical personnel about the drug addiction crisis in the United States and other countries. We jail many people a year for possession and or selling opioid, meth and other similar illegal or prescription only drugs in this country. Until recently one could be jailed for possessing and/or selling relatively small amounts of marijuana. (The classification of marijuana at the Federal levek is just now being changed.) We jail some for alcohol related deaths or charge some with driving under the influences while promoting alcohol as the normal adult drink of choice for holidays, sporting events and celebrations such as weddings.
Few who are living today were alive during the relatively brief experiment of prohibition outlawing the sales of alcohol in this country. During this period the manufacturing and sales of alcohol products skyrocketed. The careers of many law enforcement personnel greatly benefitted during this time as did the tragic deaths of many. Clearly, criminalizing the making and selling of alcoholic drinks did not reduce consumption and, in fact, fueled the racketeers and bootleggers.
The national institute for drug abuse statistics report that an average of 140,000 people die a year from alcohol related deaths (those reported as such). In the year 2021-2022, 187,00 individuals died as a direct result of alcohol abuse in the United States. That is nearly 80,000 more than is reported for opioids, meth and other so called street drug overdoses in the same period. Yet, there is not a daily outcry. Every year some college students die of alcohol poisoning. Every year’s non-alcohol kidney failures complete with alcohol related kidney failures for a kidney transplant while fueling the kidney dialysis industry. College and professional sport teams promote the sales of alcohol at games. Charity organizations, including some veteran organizations, raise funds featuring the sale of and consumption of alcohol. Open bars are often a feature of weddings and other events.
Alcohol is often but not always addictive. Some of us can have an occasional glass of wine, a beer or a mixed drink without any danger of drinking until impairment. There may also be those who can occasionally use opioids, meth, and other potentially addictive drugs safely just as we know that there are those seemingly few who can safely use nicotine without becoming addicted.
It is true that a significant percentage of alcohol related deaths occur over a long period of time. The overdose rate of opioid drugs especially those laced with fentanyl may seem much higher and often more tragic because of the number of deaths of young people.
Alcohol is a drug. Alcohol kills more than any other legal drug except for nicotine. CDC reported approximately 480,000 nicotine related deaths in the United state in 2023. Yet, nicotine in various forms remains legal and gets minimal attention by those concerned with drug abuse deathser although more than alcohol.
I am not suggesting prohibition or criminalization of alcohol and nicotine. Obviously, that will not work. I am suggesting that we as a nation:
Quit allowing alcohol at sporting events, particularly at college games.
Outlaw advertising by alcohol manufactures; advertisements which only as an afterthought suggest it is a dangerous drug.
Outlaw all vaping products to those under 21.
Speed up the process of outlawing menthol cigarettes.
At the local, regional, state and federal level quit separating alcohol, nicotine, opioids, meth amphetamine, and other addictive “recreational” drugs as if some are socially healthy and some are not.
Decriminalize all drugs and treat addiction as the disease it is.
Use available resources to educate and treat addiction rather than making law enforcement the primary approach.
Quit pretending as if addition responds to punishment.
Recognize that addition is a chronic disease. A person can be in recovery mode but will not be cured. At the same time, it is proven that when individuals use daily recovery tools, it is possible to face life without active addiction.
Continue to fund research into the prevention, treatment and early diagnosis of addictions beginning at a very early age.
On this Memorial Day in the United States let us remind each other “Alcohol is an addictive drug.” Let us not host family events which include alcohol as if is a safe drug to consume.
Written May 26, 2024
Jimmy F Pickett
Coachpickett.org
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