techs
Lifer
- Sep 26, 2000
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Originally posted by: TallBill
Originally posted by: techs
Let's not forget that alcoholism is a disease. Many people drink because they have a compulsion to drink. It is not a weakness of character or a choice for them.
That said if you are a repeat drunk driver or habitual offender under the influence I think its a great idea.
Let's also be careful of the slippery slope. Overweight people being monitored for fat intake, etc.
In an addiction class that I was in, I was taught that it takes roughly 9 years to become physically dependant on alcohol (addicted). 9 years of drinking isn't a disease, its a piss poor decision. Of course there is a grey line about when the crossover actually takes place, but alcoholism doesn't just happen overnight.
There are some people(not many) who become alcoholic much faster than that. However, the point you are making is not valid, imho, because many people drink responsibly for years and then at some point cross the line into alcoholism. Your point seems to hold these people responsible because they drank for many years. Many people drink for many years and don't become alcoholic. The cause of alcohilism is not fully established but heredity seems to play a factor.
So I don't see how its a "choice" unless you are saying that anyone who drinks and becomes alcoholic should be held responsible because they should never have drank at all or should have stopped drinking after a certain amount of time, before they could possibly have developed alcoholism.