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Binge Drinking Laws in Alabama

What many of us think of binge drinking we think of a self-destructive and uncontrolled alcoholic episode that last a few days. During this time, a drunken person zones out, does not show up for work, ignores their responsibilities, wastes money, and generally gets involved in all sorts of trouble. This is the portrait painted by the media culture on T.V., in books and in movies. However, this is just one form of binge drinking and it is not the type binge drinking that binge drinking laws in Alabama attend to address.

 
 

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Most Popular Form of Binge Drinking

The most popular form of binge drink is the college campus variety, which generally last one night or even only a few hours. In this form vast quantities of alcoholic beverages are consumed in order to “get wasted” that night and attempt to recover and return to business as usual the next day.

Binge Drinking In Alabama Counties

Recent Alabama media accounts have focused on the high percentage of binge drinking in counties that prohibit the trade and sell of alcoholic beverages. These counties are known as dry counties. Young people doing the above-mentioned form of binge drinking are the most likely perpetrators.

High Binge Drinking Statistics

It has been reported that in one dry county 15% of the residents reported episodes of binge drinking in the past 30 days. These statistics where provided by a self-described private foundation dedicated to improving health and healthcare for Americans. The foundation used as a definition of binge drinking:

  • An adult male drinking five or more drinks in two hours or less
  • Four drinks in the same time period for adult females.

This type of drinking, typically leads to the drinker reaching a BAC (blood-alcohol content) of at least 0.8 % or more in a relatively short amount of time.

Legislative Solution To Binge Drinking In Alabama

This ranks some dry counties as the top areas for binge drinking in Alabama. It would seem that these counties passed dry county legislation to address this kind of behavior however, the laws according to these statistics are having the opposite effect. Binge drinking laws in Alabama are being considered to address this issue in wet counties but dry counties seem to be painted into a corner when it come to legislative solutions.