Alcoholism and Drunk Driving Laws - Essay Example

Drunk Driving Laws Alcoholism is a serious that relates to everyone in our society. The question of whether alcoholism should be allowed or not, forms an argument whether alcohol if drank in moderation is good for recovery or not. Many people drink in moderation to control their drinking problems, but the counter argument says it is addictive. Not only are they destroying their livers, but they are also taking a risk of getting in trouble by the law. There are a lot of issues that come up about drinking, but maybe these people can not stop one day to the next. It does not make them bad people if they are trying to quit by drinking in moderation. It seems that in our society, a person is either a “social” drinker or an “alcoholic.” Sometimes people drink to relieve anxiety over relationships, work and money. The question and one of significance here is to make one understand whether the drinking habit has had bad effects on the driving phenomenon of late and whether or not the laws which are in place are harsh enough for one and all to understand. On this account, we all fail to agree with the notion that is presented to us. Indeed the drunk driving laws are not strict enough to be enforced upon all and sundry in a uniform manner and there are many loopholes which exist within the present day system that have to be tackled once and for all to make drunk driving laws as harsh as they can get. It is not about being strict on someone just for the sake of it rather it is about the whole society where the emphasis is on understanding the morals and values of the people, the society and the humanity in general. No one should be allowed to practice self-indulgence just because he is influential and can move any table when the issue gets boiled up. In the world of today, there are people who do not think in the narrow lane. They like to see their lives in open canvas where they are able to exercise what they want to and say what they feel like but then again it should be within moral parameters. No one is allowed to interfere in other’s lives if he is drunk and driving in a rash manner. Many people get killed on a daily basis due to inconsiderate behaviors of the alcohol addicts and they just do not think of the people who are behind them. The family which was being supported by the person who has been killed in this manner is the worst to suffer. It is made to pay for sins which it has not committed in the first place. The drunk driving rules must be amended so as to make all and sundry aware that there is a definite loophole which needs to be plugged in due course of time and that too quickly. No one should be able to run around freely if he is drunk and driving in a rash and foolish manner. Plus the law should be one that treats one and all on an equal basis and there must not be any regard for the person’s position held or capacity that he exercises. It could be the President of the country or a layman for that matter. The present law which states that drinking must not be allowed even after the person is past his or her 20s is true and holds solid basis. It needs to be changed as people have started to feel odd about it. I think it needs to be taken higher up the order. The age restriction should be increased to 30 years. The harshness is due to the fact that maturity has got a lot of role in this whole equation. Maturity is a state of mind and it must definitely be there within the people who are wise enough and are able to understand what is right and wrong within the society and what the moral values of such a society entail in the first place. I believe it is up to the person (under consideration) to decide that which age is perfect for his or her own self and then again it is up to this person only to acknowledge and thus decide later on whether or not he or she should quit it, bring alcohol levels down or whatsoever he or she may feel like at any point in time during one’s lifespan. But then again, the relevant authorities need to get their act tight and bring in stricter measures which discuss the prevalent drunk driving laws and settle the same once and for all. One does not need anyone’s permission to start drinking. It is a natural and legal phenomenon and more so a right which has to be exercised by an individual and in such a situation who is one to allow another person to start drinking at a specified age or forbid another on the pretext that he or she is not up to the required age limits? This is just absurd to say the least as it does not have any weight. The world has its own thinking format and it would be best to let them live in the best manner, however under some strict boundaries. On the other side of the argument, society complains that the legal alcohol consumption needs to be stopped. They complain without realizing the reason why people consume alcohol. The reasons behind consuming alcohol could be problems that the person is having in their life. The alcoholic wants to get over the habit of drinking but it just takes time. Doctors do not know the real reason why alcoholics drink. Studies indicate many people drink alcoholic beverages to escape from tensions, frustrations and anxieties. Some people handle everyday tensions by developing psychological defenses. The alcoholic tolerance for daily stress is so low that he or she resorts to alcohol as a drug for relief. The alcoholic usually believes that only by drinking alcohol can he make his life bearable. Amy Alcott’s opinion is that alcoholism is a complex disorder for which a combination of treatments may be necessary for recovery. If the alcoholic is in the acute phase of alcoholism and is suffering from complications such as delirium tremens or serious health problems, hospitalization may be necessary. Then again, this person need not be over 18 years of age to make the society realize that he or she is in a complex disorder and wants to get free from the very same. But the issue of drunk driving is totally different. If a person is not fit enough to have a normal mind in the first place, he must not be fit enough to drive as well and then the drunk driving laws come into the equation very easily. If this person cannot understand how it takes to smoothen up his own life, how can he understand the problems and miseries of the people who are being supported by the person killed under the merciless tires of his rashly driven car? Social and cultural factors may play a role in establishing drinking patterns and alcoholism. Among some cultures there is conflict between values of abstinence and the acceptance of alcohol as a usual way to change moods or to be sociable. These conflicts within the culture may make it difficult for some people to develop their own stable attitudes and moderate patterns of drinking. Even though the alcoholic may realize the danger, the short term rewards are so great and the urge is so powerful that the drinking habit has to be protected, and its adverse effects denied. The dangers of drinking and the like are not only short term but also fringe on the longer pattern of things. This habit may just turn into a long term disease and could harm the individual in the same vein as it does to the people who are hit by his car every now and then. Moreover, the authorities have to get their act right. They need to see whether or not the drunk driving laws are right or not. However, I believe that the legal age must be made higher and only those people who are fit enough to understand their basic responsibilities within a society be allowed to drive. It means that the individuals who are just enjoying while they are drunk have to be brought to justice and the same should prevail at the very end. All said and done, it is the collective responsibility of ours in a normal society to understand what is demanded of us on a daily basis and how we can best cope with the situations that our life has plunged into, courtesy the drunk driving aspects. The laws should definitely be made stern so as to make people realize their due roles and how they cannot run away without fulfilling the very same. BIBLIOGRAPHY Author Unknown. (2005). Legal Drinking Age. Alcohol Problems and Solutions Cripps, Robert. (2003). Change the Legal Age of Alcohol Consumption. McGowan, Richard. (1997). Government Regulation of the Alcohol Industry: The Search for Revenue and the Common Good. Quorum Books Dunham, Roger G. (1990). Police Pursuit Driving: Controlling Responses to Emergency Situations. Greenwood Press Greenberg, Michael D. (2004). How Can Repeat Drunk Drivers Be Influenced to Change? Analysis of the Association between Drunk Driving and DUI Recidivists Attitudes and Beliefs. Journal of Studies on Alcohol Vol. 65 Word Count: 1,503 Read More