Alcohol in Today’s Society

The costs of alcohol use exert an economic burden on the individual as well as society at
large. The costs range from loss of productivity, and health care costs, as well to other different costs
related to alcohol, such as due to accidents caused and injuries incurred by individuals under the
influence of alcohol. Alcohol use disorders contribute to five percent of the total disease burden.
Alcohol use is problematic because the effects are spread from the individual to other third
parties. For instance, accidental injuries incurred or caused by a drunk person affect not only the
concerned individual but also other people. Some people become violent while under the
influence of alcohol and may end up causing harm to themselves and other members of society.
Besides, alcohol use increases the risks of fibrillation. Such an individual may develop other related
complications such as heart failure leading to death. In the event such a person was a
breadwinner in a family, then children are left at the mercy of well-wishers or family members.
People who use alcohol burden society members when they are unable to take care of their
families.
Physiological alcohol dependence refers to a state where alcohol use is associated with
neuro-adaptation. Such a person experiences withdrawal symptoms if they stop taking alcohol.
Such people are a burden, economically because they function well when under the influence of
alcohol. Such a person incurs a lot of money on alcohol. Also, a lot of work hours are spent on
alcohol, thus reducing productivity. Alcohol abuse refers to relates to drinking problems that
cause harm to the body. Eventually, such people develop health problems which incur a lot of
resources, time and finances, to treat. Acute alcohol poisoning, on the other hand, causes harm to
the body and could lead to complications such as fibrillation. The cost of taking care of such a

ALCOHOL IN TODAY’S SOCIETY 3
person, medically and personally, is high. Evidently, alcohol use exerts an economic burden on
society as well as on the concerned individual.
The state of Maryland defines blood alcohol concentration (bac) level as the percentage
of alcohol in an individual’s blood. A person whose bac is 0.08 percent or higher is considered to
be under the influence of alcohol. Driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol is an offense.
One is found guilty of DUI if their bac 0.07. such a person is guilty of DUI. Under the law, the
punishment for a person caught DUI for the first time varies from a person caught
committing the offense for a second time. For a first-time DUI, a person is sentenced to
imprisonment for a maximum of one year or may be asked to pay a fine not exceeding $1,000.
The sentence may also entail both the fine as well as the imprisonment.
In 2015, the number of fatalities related to DUI was at an average of 159. The yearly
average had increased from the one recorded in the previous five years. For five years, the state
had recorded a yearly average of 150 fatalities. In 2015, there were 344 serious injuries related to
impaired driving. Maryland ranks 18th in America for having a DUI fatality rate of 11.16 percent.
During brunch hours, the number of fatalities is higher compared to other times. Between 2013
and 2017, there were 56 DUI-related fatalities incurred during brunch hours. Based on these
statistics, DUI is still a major threat to human safety.