We are studying Proverbs on Sunday nights and the topic of drunkeness (alcoholism) is coming up repeatedly. Read this section of Proverbs on being addicted to alcohol and the following current information of how alcohol is affecting our lives in our country.(Prov 23:29-35) Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaints? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? {30} Those who linger long at the wine, Those who go in search of mixed wine. {31} Do not look on the wine when it is red, When it sparkles in the cup, When it swirls around smoothly; {32} At the last it bites like a serpent, And stings like a viper. {33} Your eyes will see strange things, And your heart will utter perverse things. {34} Yes, you will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea, Or like one who lies at the top of the mast, saying: {35} "They have struck me, but I was not hurt; They have beaten me, but I did not feel it. When shall I awake, that I may seek another drink?"
Alcohol Statistics
Each year, a typical young person in the United States is inundated with more than 1,000 commercials for beer and wine coolers and several thousand fictional drinking incidents on television.
Alcohol is involved in 50% of all driving fatalities.
In the United States, every 30 minutes someone is killed in an alcohol related traffic accident.
Over 15 million Americans are dependent on alcohol. 500,000 are between the age of 9 and 12.
Each year the liquor industry spends almost $2 billion dollars on advertising and encouraging the consumption of alcoholic beverages.
Americans spend over $90 billion dollars total on alcohol each year.
An average American may consume over 25 gallons of beer, 2 gallons of wine, and 1.5 gallons of distilled spirits each year.
Pregnant women who drink are feeding alcohol to their babies. Unfortunately the underdeveloped liver of the baby can only burn alcohol at half the rate of its mother, so the alcohol stays in the baby's system twice as long.
Each year students spend $5.5 billion on alcohol, more then they spend on soft drinks, tea, milk, juice, coffee, or books combined.
56% of students in grade 5 to 12 say that alcohol advertising encourages them to drink.
6.6% of employees in full time jobs report heavy drinking, defined as drinking five or more drinks per occasion on five or more days in the past 30 days.
The highest percentage of heavy drinkers (12.2%) is found among unemployed adults between the age of 26 to 34
Up to 40% of all industrial fatalities and 47% of industrial injuries can be linked to alcohol consumption and alcoholism.
In 2000, almost 7 million persons age 12 to 20 was a binge drinker; that is about one in five persons under the legal drinking age was a binge drinker.
The 2001 survey shows 25 million (one in ten) Americans surveyed reported driving under the influence of alcohol. This report is nearly three million more than the previous year. Among young adults age 18 to 25 years, almost 23% drove under the influence of alcohol.
Drunk driving is proving to be even deadlier then what we previously know. The latest death statistics released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), using a new method of calculation show that 17,488 people where killed in alcohol related traffic accidents last year. This report represents nearly 800 more people where killed than the previous year.
Alcohol is the number 1 drug problem in America.
43% of Americans have been exposed to alcoholism in their families.
Nearly one out of 4 Americans admitted to general hospitals have alcohol problems or are undiagnosed alcoholics being diagnosed for alcohol related consequences.
Alcohol and alcohol related problems is costing the American economy at least $100 million in health care and lost of productivity every year.
Four in ten criminal offenders report alcohol as a factor in violence.
Among spouse violence victims, three out of four incidents were reported to have involved alcohol use by the offender.
In 1996, local law enforcement agencies made an estimated 1,467,300 arrests nationwide for driving under the influence of alcohol. (www.drug-rehabs.org/alcohol-statistics.php)
I have been preaching a sober lifestyle for several years now. I believe in a sober lifestyle and teach about the dangers of alcohol use/abuse. Being a sober alcoholic for quite some time now, I have always had a soft spot for people who have struggled with drug/alcohol addictions. I don't think I've ever addressed this topic before, but I may go as far as stating, "Abusing drugs/alcohol while pregnant should be a crime". Abusing drugs/alcohol while pregnant should be a crime with the same consequences (if not more consequences) than somebody who is arrested for drunk driving. This is nothing short of a form of child abuse. I believe people have the right to do what they want to their bodies, but not somebody else’s (let alone an unborn child).
ReplyDeleteI’ve seen the effects of babies addicted to crack and babies born with fetal alcohol syndrome. Why is this different than child abuse or hurting someone else while drunk driving? I can hear the arguments against this concept already…”These women are sick and need help.” My response to this is, “I understand”. Let me tell you a little story….
As I mentioned, I once had a bad problem with alcohol and drugs. I was considered a “multiple offender” when it came to DUI’s. On one particular occasion, a judge was about to sentence me to 30 days in the county jail and he asked if I had anything to say. I replied with, “Your honor, I don’t think I should have to go to jail because jail is for criminals and I’m just someone with a bad drinking problem. I’m not a criminal.” The judge thought for a moment and said, “Mr. Eugene, you are not being prosecuted for having a drinking problem. You are being prosecuted for operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, which is a crime. Therefore you are a criminal. I sentence you to 30 days in the county jail. Now, turn to your right and follow the instructions of the bailiff.”
In summary, I sympathize with people who struggle with drugs and or alcohol. If a woman has a drinking or drug problem and continues to abuse while knowingly pregnant, this should absolutely be punishable as a crime and doctors should be required to report such issues if they are aware of this taking place. Maybe court ordered treatment might be a solution in this case. I’m not sure. Here’s one thing I do know…if the woman is in a treatment facility or jail and stays there until the birth of her child, she won’t have access to drugs and alcohol and her baby will have a better shot at life.
My kids were born after I had sobered up (plus I’m a male) so this isn’t an issue I had to deal with but I deeply feel for the women who do have to deal with it. These are just some of my thoughts.
Dave
ReasonsToStaySober.com