The following is a guest editorial pending in the Ogden Standard Examiner. It is in response to a guest editorial in favor of making our alcohol laws easier under the guise of saying that we will get richer if we attract more convention business and everyone knows conventioneers want smoking, booze and hookers. I notice that no one wants to bring back cigarette vending machines, etc. Alcohol is simply dangerous. It kills and destroys. It costs all of us, especially drinkers and their families. Like tobacco, anything that lessens its use is good.

Utah's alcohol laws are sensible and save lives

The Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (UDABC) is currently being pressured to make the consumption of larger amounts of alcohol quicker and easier. A recent guest commentary (Mathur, May 30,2008) was filled with distortions and inaccuracies. As a former medical director of the Northern Utah Alcohol Foundation and long-time community Family Physician who has seen the ravages of alcohol destroy individuals and families, I thought I would correct some misinformation before we make the mistake of changing our sensible and evidence-proven laws.
Let's start with the fact that 75,000 deaths a year come from alcohol consumption. Then realize that alcohol is responsible for 200 billion dollars a year in economic costs. And then there are the non-economic costs - things like drunks murdering and maiming innocent motorists, violent crime, family violence, family breakdown, mental illness, and various other health problems too numerous to list. From this week's Journal of the American Medical Association you may read, "Four health behaviors (smoking, diet, physical inactivity, and alcohol use) account for 38% of all US deaths." I'm tired of people trivializing this huge problem that affects us all or saying opposition to alcohol comes from intolerant Puritans. It is a real societal and health issue, regardless of your religion.
Utah's alcohol laws are sensible and have worked well. Research available from the very source cited by Professor Mathur shows evidence supporting Utah's current laws. (This source was incorrectly cited in the article - it is actually the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation) "Most American adults either abstain or drink very little." "A relatively small percentage of drinkers drink most of the alcohol." "This small percentage often consumes several drinks at a time, increasing the risk of serious health and safety problems." "Binge drinkers are 23% of the population, but drink 76 % of the alcohol." These problem drinkers both cause most of the damage associated with alcohol and they are pushing to make their binge drinking easier.
The simple facts are that 75% of Americans don't drink or drink very little. Of the remaining 25%, over half do not drink large enough amounts for the Utah laws to even have much effect. Those affected by the Utah laws are a minority of a minority who disproportionately cause the problems associated with alcohol that we all pay for through increased taxes, increased costs of goods, increased auto insurance premiums, and in death and disability.
Again quoting from Professor Mathur's source and the US Department of Justice on proven methods for limiting the damage done by alcohol, "Manydifferent studies have found that higher alcohol prices lead to lower consumption and fewer alcohol-related problems. Higher prices tend to have a particularly strong effect on young people." As a citizen of Utah, yes I want higher prices and taxes on alcohol. This not only benefits society, but the drinkers themselves who are less likely to drink as much. Just as taxes and pricing of tobacco lead to proven health and other societal benefits, so does increasing the price of alcohol.
"Restricting the density of alcohol outlets and their location is one way of decreasing consumption and related problems. Several studies have demonstrated the connection between the density of alcohol outlets in a community and the rates of violence, particularly among youth." Yes, as a citizen I want to decrease violence, particularly among youth, by limiting alcohol outlets.
Many studies show Utah's sensible alcohol laws were ahead of their time and continue to provide a measure of safety to the community and to the drinkers themselves. Much support for making it easier to drink more alcohol more quickly comes from a few business people affiliated with large out-of-state hotels and large companies who own properties like ski resorts and restaurants who would see their profits rise even as our quality of life would drop. Don't let the designs which do and always will exist in the hearts of conspiring men, including unfortunately our own Governor, interfere with our rights as citizens. Call up the Governor and your representatives and share both your support for current laws and the fact that Utah's alcohol laws have stood the test of time and have scientific research to back them up. Do your own research; think for yourselves. And you will find, as I have found, that Utah's alcohol laws make good sense. And that is the simple truth.