Madison NORML

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AAugust 3, 2008

Editorial: State must admit alcohol is a problem

It starts with Wisconsin looking in the mirror and admitting we have a drinking problem.

For the past several weeks, we've featured our Gannett Wisconsin Media "State of Drinking" series, a comprehensive and statistical glimpse of how a culture of drinking has ravaged Wisconsin. It showed how alcohol is a part of life here. And it demonstrated that culture is out of control, dictating legislation, ruining lives and tearing families apart

So what do we do about it? Wisconsin, just like any individual facing a problem, first has to admit it has one.

We have previously commented on the ridiculous time warp our state beer tax is stuck in, still 3.6 cents a six-pack, a rate not nudged since 1969. We could argue that the legislature should increase that tax. As our colleagues at the Green Bay Press Gazette noted, "If (the tax) had grown with inflation, that 3.6 cents per six pack would be about 18 cents today. The average beer lover probably could handle that."

But then, we reasoned, Wisconsin has to admit it has a problem or legislation, not to mention the legislators sponsoring it, won't get anywhere.

We could demand it's time Wisconsin adopted a "three-strikes and you're out law." No more of these five, six, seven or even 10 DUI arrests hitting our papers, please. Three DUIs and you're a felon and going to prison for a spell.

But, first, Wisconsin would have to admit it has a problem or public support for even such a seemingly logical, public-safety-focused change won't get anywhere.

We could make a very strong case that bartenders who happily dole out shot after shot of hard liquor to that young man or woman celebrating his or her 21st birthday with friends or those mindlessly serve underage customers without checking identification should face some far more serious consequences for enabling dangerous, deadly behavior.

But first, Wisconsin has to admit it has a drinking problem. Wisconsin has to awaken and realize Number One is a ranking we don't want to have when it comes to a categories like "highest percentage of underage alcohol consumption."

We could argue that the days of allowing service groups and their volunteers to control the taps at public events – even though it raises revenue for noble causes -- should either be more carefully regulated or come to an end. And we could likewise argue that our state bartending license courses and prerequisites have become a hoop-jumping farce that few take seriously.

But, again, Wisconsin has to admit it has a drinking problem first.

There is one take-action step we and our colleagues on editorial boards throughout Gannett Wisconsin seem to wholly agree on.

Wisconsin's drinking habits won't change without Wisconsinites changing first.

Start at home. Start with your family. Start with you. Be smart, safe, healthy and a model for your impressionable children.