Super Bowl Harbinger of Problem Drinking 17.6 million
American adults are either alcohol dependent or abuse
alcohol. Super Bowl Sunday has long been associated with
over consumption of alcohol and drunk driving.
17.6 million American adults are either alcohol dependent or
abuse alcohol. According to the recently released 2001-2002
National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related
Conditions, alcohol dependence – particularly among men –
has decreased; however, rates of alcohol abuse have
Alcohol screening Phoenix.
Super Bowl Sunday has long been associated with over
consumption of alcohol and the problems of alcohol abuse.
Mothers Against Drunk Driving has compiled statistics for
Super Bowl day alcohol related driving fatalities every year
since 1999. These statistics show that an average Super Bowl
Sundays see 55.4% increase in alcohol related traffic
fatalities over other days of the year.
Part of the problem may be that imbibing alcohol is
encouraged during the Super Bowl. Nearly 20% of the
commercials, 10 out of 58, aired during Super Bowl XXXIX
will advertise Anheuser-Busch products. Last year
Anheuser-Busch’s commercials were among both the most
controversial and popular.
Also promoting Super Bowl alcohol consumption, About.com’s
football writer James Alder, whose goal is to, “provide you
with all the necessary resources every serious football fan
needs…,” offers Super Bowl party recipes for alcoholic
Jello shots, including instructions in how to make them
stronger.
SOBERnet, a website on alcohol abuse and alcoholim, offers
an alternative recipe for a successful Super Bowl party at
www.sobernet.us
Serve alternative nonalcoholic drinks. Have a key check, and
don’t let party goers drive drunk. Provide transportation
via a designated non-drinking driver or taxi. Plan post game
activities, as only time can help someone sober up. And,
don’t drink and drive.