John M. McCardell, Jr.

1

• John M. McCardell, Jr.
• Director of Choose Responsibility
• President Emeritus of Middlebury College

2
(No Transcript)
3
The Moral Thermometer

• An Inquiry into the Effects of Spirituous
  Liquors on the Human Body and the Mind (Benjamin
  Rush, 1790)

4
Total alcohol-related fatalities, 1982-2006
(Data from NHTSA 2003)
5
Alcohol-Related Traffic Fatalities
(Hingson Winter 2003)
6
Estimated number of lives saved per year by use
of restraints and drinking age, 1975-2005
(Data from NHTSA 2005)
7
Population change and drunken driving fatalities,
1982-2004
(Data from NHTSA 2005 and Bureau of Census
Population Estimates)
8
Binge Drinking

• 56 increase in binge drinking between 1993 and
  2001 by 18-20 year-olds (1)
• More than 90 of all alcohol consumed by underage
  drinkers is consumed during binge drinking (2)
• Over 1000 lives of 18-24 year-olds are lost
  annually to alcohol off the highways, a figure
  that has been increasing since 1998 (3)

1 (Naimi et al. 2003) 2 (Institutes of Medicine
2003) 3 (Hingson et al. 2005)
9
By law, at age 18 you are mature enough to . . .

• Enlist or be drafted, risking your life for our
  nation
• Marry, adopt children, and be a legal guardian
• Open a bank account, go into debt, own property,
  sue or be sued
• Vote, and seek or hold public office
• Purchase firearms
• Smoke, buy lottery tickets, and gamble
• Enter into a legally binding contract

10
(No Transcript)
11
(No Transcript)
12
Our Proposal

• Congressional waiver of highway funds incentive
• Allow for the consumption of alcohol with parents
  beginning at age 18
• After high school, young adults may take an
  alcohol education course that grants a license to
  purchase, possess, and consume alcohol
• Any violation of the states alcohol laws would
  result in the revocation of the alcohol license,
  or the opportunity to apply for license for those
  under 18

13
References

• Alcohol Policy Information System. (2006).
  Underage Consumption of Alcohol.
  http//www.alcoholpolicy.niaaa.nih.gov/index.asp?S
  EC0D5C719E-FCE8-4E15-A367-4145C655505FTypeBAS
  _APIS
• Hingson, R. Winter, M. (2003). Epidemiology and
  Consequences of Drinking and Driving. Bethesda
  National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and
  Alcoholism of the National Institute of Health.
• Hingson, R., Hereen, T., Winter, M., Weschler, H.
  (2005). Magnitude of alcohol related mortality
  and morbidity among US college students ages
  18-24 Changes from 1998 to 2001. Annual Review
  of Public Health, (26), 259-279.
• Institutes of Medicine. (2003). Reducing Underage
  Drinking A Collective Responsibility.
  Washington National Academies Press.
• Naimi, T.S., Brewer, R.D., Mokdad, A., Denny, C.,
  Serdula, M., Marks, J.S. (2003). Binge
  drinking among U.S. Adults. Journal of the
  American Medical Association, 289(1), 70-75.
• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
  (2005). Traffic safety facts 2004 Data (DOT HS
  809 905). Washington, DC U.S. Department of
  Transportation. Retrieved May 1, 2006, from
  http//www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pdf/nrd-30/NCSA/TSF20
  04/809905.pdf
• Kobler, J. (1973). Ardent Spirits The Origins of
  the American Temperance Movement. New York De
  Cappo Press. (Benjamin Rushs Moral Thermometer)
• Runge, J.W. (2003, October 21). Impaired driving
  in the US Progress and research needs.
  Washington DC U.S. Department of Transportation,
  National Highway Transportation Safety
  Administration.