Show I Alcoholism in America The newly released Federal report on alcohol and health is full of bad news for America heavy drinkers are much more likely to get cancer of the mouth or throat alcohol costs the country more than 25 billion annually in the form of lost work auto accidents and medical bills and heavy drinking is alarmingly on the rise among teenagers Citing a random sample of junior and senior high school students the the largest sample ever taken the taken the report says both the frequency of drinking and the amount consumed has skyrocketed during the past three years from 1970 to 1973 Usage among boys increased from 50 to 77 percent among girls from 38 to 67 percent Dr Morris E E. E Chafetz director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism which released the report noted that some nations in which the populations use alcohol widely do not notto experience similar alcoholic problems t to In these societies alcohol is typically consumed under clear well-defined well guidelines in a family or relaxed social environment that stands in sharp contrast to to the American bar or the tense atmosphere of the American cocktail party Above all drunkenness is condemned and drunk behavior is not tolerated On the other hand our American society has persistently used alcohol asa asa as asa a universal solvent for human problems We have long viewed drunkenness as a humorous condition to be condoned instead of a serious state of sickness to be avoided Dr Chafetz said a person may know that he or she has a serious problem with alcohol if that person has been intoxicated four times in one year goes to work intoxicated or does something under the influence of alcohol that he or she wouldn't do without its influence We believe Dr Chafetz and the Institute Institute Institute In In- are on target in their efforts to combat this critical American problem In addition to calling for expanded and innovative ways to care for the casualties of the disease Dr Chafetz concludes that we must establish socially responsible guidelines to help our citizens avoid dangerous drinking practices We echo his call for key elements of the nations nation's private sector including the liquor entertainment education health and advertising industries to plunge into this effort |