The Cost of Drinking Alcohol

by Dennis Abernathy

I recently read that alcoholism is costing our society around twenty-five billion dollars annually, including millions yearly just to arrest, try, and jail drinkers. Furthermore, alcohol is to blame for nearly half of all traffic fatalities and homicides, and a fourth of all suicides in the state of Texas. By the way, just one ounce of alcohol retard’s muscular reaction17%. It increases the time required to make a decision by 9% and increases errors due to lack of attention by 35%. For example, tests show that after drinking three bottles of beer, there is an average net memory loss of 13%. Trained typists, for instance, were tested and their errors increased 40% after taking only small quantities of alcohol. Those who claim to be only “social drinkers,” who drink “responsibly” need to pay attention. Alcohol consumption causes one to act irresponsibly. Others who say they can exercise self-control when drinking alcohol need to understand that imbibing alcohol causes one to lose self-control!

Sir William Osler, a Canadian physician, was lecturing one day on alcohol, and a student asked: “Is it true that alcohol makes people able to do things better?” “No,” replied Osler, “It just makes them less ashamed of doing them badly.”

The Bible says, “Wine is a mocker, intoxicating drink arouses brawling, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise” (Proverbs 20: 1). Proverbs 23:29-35 paints an accurate portrait of what drinking alcohol will do to a person, and it is not a pretty picture. The ruined lives of millions of people are a continuing testimony of what alcohol consumption will do. It is a terrible monster that ruins lives, destroys families, and opposes the good of the community. The alcohol commercials advertise alcohol’s relation with the good life and are very enticing, but in the end, it “bites like a poisonous snake,”  and leads to addiction, shame, and disaster.

Think on these things.