Alcohol and impulsive behavior is genetic
Here's a study that supports the theory that drinking (and be a tangential extension drinking and driving) may not be a choice for some people. If this is the case, it supports what I have argued for years, that people accused of DUI need more support and treatment, and less punishment.
Putting somebody in jail and stripping them of their dignity and their livelihood does not make them less likely to act impulsively and drink and drive in the future. In fact, it likely does just the opposite.
Scientists find genetic link to impulsive behaviour | Latest News: "In humans a blood alcohol level of .08 is produced by the consumption of two drinks an hour by a 120-pound individual or 3 drinks an hour by a 180-pound individual. At that level human concentration and judgment are impaired and all 50 states prohibit operation of a motor vehicle.
‘It is well documented that humans with alcohol problems have impulsivity issues. High impulsivity, when defined as the tendency to choose small instantaneous rewards over larger delayed rewards – like getting drunk instead of going to work for that paycheck in 2 weeks— is more prevalent in alcoholics than in non-alcoholics. Because these mice had never had alcohol, we were able to show that it was the genes that increase drinking, rather than drinking itself, that yielded impulsive behavior,’ said Dr. Grahame.
‘Our data can clearly be extrapolated to humans and strongly suggests that impulsivity contributes to high alcohol drinking. Consequently, the diagnosis of any disorder associated with impulsivity, such as attention deficit disorder or bipolar disorder, is cause for concern about future problems with alcoholism,’ he added"
As a society, we need to respond to the problem of DUI with more love and less judgment. Support and incentive is what quells impulsiveness.
Study shows hints as to why alcohol is addicting
The country as a whole treats people with drinking problems as second class citizens. Addiction to alcohol is typically hidden until it no longer can be. When it comes to DUI arrests, it is easier to criminalize both the act and the individual rather than looking at the physiology behind the cause of the "crime." Here's a new study that looks at more than the dangers of drinking and driving, and delves into the potential reason why people so easily develop alcohol addictions.
Light Alcohol Consumption Linked to β-Endorphin Release - Findings in rodents' midbrain area suggest role in ethanol reward and reinforcement - Modern Medicine: "Low to medium doses of ethanol -- 1.2, 1.6 and 2.0 grams -- led to a significant increase in dialysate content of β-endorphin compared to the saline group, but the 2.4-gram dose did not, the authors write.
'The current investigation demonstrated that at the level of midbrain/VTA systemic administration of ethanol mainly altered the release of β-endorphin in a dose-dependent manner with low to medium, but not high, doses of ethanol increasing β-endorphin release. This ethanol induced increase of β-endorphin release in the midbrain/VTA region may play a significant role in the ethanol-induced stimulation of the mesolimbic dopaminergic system and the initiation of the processes of ethanol reward and reinforcement,' the authors conclude."
The act of drinking may be explainable in terms of chemistry as much as it is in terms of consciousness or will-power. I have long advocated a more treatment oriented approach (as opposed to a punish at all costs approach) to dealing with impaired driving. Emotions never win this argument, as everybody has a visceral reaction that demands a pound of flesh from those who hurt people by driving drunk, and also from those who might have but for the grace of god.
It is always encouraging to see science looking at the issue from an objective perspective.
College drinking behavior predicts adult alcohol problems
Interesting study about drinking in college as a predictor of adult drinking patterns.
Newswise Medical News | Study Helps Identify College Drinkers at Risk For Adult Alcohol Abuse: "College students who are problem drinkers using alcohol to cope with personal problems and boost self-confidence are more likely to continue excessive drinking into adulthood, a recent study suggests.
The Ohio State University survey results suggest that adults who are still high-risk drinkers by age 34 may have inadvertently used alcohol to blunt the social and cognitive development that typically occurs during college, including the ability to handle alcohol.
Binge drinking involves consuming five or more drinks for men and four or more drinks for women in a single sitting, as previously described by Harvard researchers. The Ohio State study categorized high-risk drinkers based on their scores on a National Institute for Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism questionnaire. In all cases, this drinking puts people at risk for serious consequences ranging from fatal injuries and sexual abuse to academic or mental problems and alcohol dependence.
High-risk drinkers in the survey who stopped problem drinking after college typically reduced their alcohol use during school – a sign in itself that their social development was closer to what is considered normal and on track.
If the subset of students most likely to continue problem drinking in adulthood can be identified during college, they might benefit from counseling or programming that specifically aims to lower long-term high-risk drinking, the researchers say. And the junior year might be the best time to introduce the intervention.
‘We saw clear differences that, if they could be identified during college, could potentially lead to interventions that would make a difference in the long term,’ said Ada Demb, associate professor of educational policy and leadership at Ohio State and senior author of the study.
Demb completed this exploratory study with Corbin Campbell, a former master’s student in Ohio State’s higher education and student affairs program now pursuing a Ph.D. at the University of Maryland. The research is published in a recent issue of the Journal of College Student Development.
Demb and Campbell surveyed graduates of a large Midwestern university about their current drinking habits as well as their alcohol use during college. They received responses from 4,428 alumni who graduated between 1983 and 1993."
Alcoholism drug Vivitrol: An alternative to DUI sentencing?
There is a little known drug called Vivitrol, which has been shown to have good success in battling alcoholism. The problem is, hardly anybody really knows about it.
One of the main problems is that most non-alcoholics refuse to think of alcoholism as a disease, while most alcoholics refuse to acknowledge that they have a disease or addiction. The net result is that useful drugs are not as profitable for drug companies to concentrate on. The demand may not be there, and interest is hard to stir.
Before the invasion of ignition interlock devices and SCRAM devices into the DUI court system, courts would sometimes mandate the use of Anabuse in exchange for certain privileges, like avoiding jail time. I haven't seen this done in years. Instead, courts have gotten more punitive, taking their cues from legislatures. Until we acknowledge that alcoholism mandates treatment, not punishment, DUI and all of the carnage it causes, will, unfortunately, continue.Makers of alcoholism drug Vivitrol struggle to make way into market - The Boston Globe: "'I would absolutely recommend it [Vivitrol] to anyone who is looking to get sober,' he said. 'I would obsess about drinking all the time, and I just don't think about it anymore.' But when Kyle mentions the drug to other alcoholics, he mostly gets puzzled looks. 'Nobody has any idea what it is,' he said. Despite a litany of similar testimonials about its effectiveness, Vivitrol has largely been a commercial flop. There are several reasons: Many alcohol treatment programs resist using drugs; some doctors contend Vivitrol doesn't work for most patients; and it's expensive - $800 a month. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, there are about 8 million alcoholics in the United States, yet only a few thousand use Vivitrol, nearly three years after it went on the market. Alkermes recently predicted it will generate no more than $24 million in sales for this fiscal year, far below initial expectations."
Delaying a DUI jail sentence
There are very few public stories that catch our interest, as most fall into the category of propaganda or celebrity gossip. This story is different. It is about a 10-time DUI convict, condemned to another 4 years in prison.
This poor guy's daughter is sick and needs a kidney. The justice system is allowing him to delay his start date for the sentence in order to donate a kidney to her.
Kidney disease is tangible and one that our court's honor and pay attention to. Alcoholism is, for the most part, treated as a criminal rather than medical problem.
Excerpts from the AP Article: (link)
He was given a 4-year prison sentence, but it won't begin until January. Prosecutor Sandra Donaghy said the start of Lawrence's sentence was set back so he can contribute one his kidneys to his seriously ill daughter. Court records show Lawrence has 10 previous DUI convictions in Knox County and one each in Sevier and Union counties. A call to arms for DUI attorneys, and prosecutors: Start educating your colleagues, judges, court staff and the public about the disease of alcoholism. Until we start treating the underlying cause of drunk driving, we will never solve the symptoms, which often come in the form of multiple DWI arrests.
