More Thinking About Drinking

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

More Thinking About Drinking

I'm delighted that the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism is interested in the detection and treatment of alcohol abuse through primary care medicine ["How Much Is Too Much?" June 17].

Each generation needs to rediscover this idea, which was current when I was a division director at NIAAA more than 30 years ago. It was shown in the United Kingdom that even minimal primary care intervention is significant in diminishing alcohol abuse. And more recently, I developed and published a screening tool that all doctors can use. It takes about three minutes, and basically it invites people to boast about how much they can drink in an evening. It is dramatic, revealing and immediate.

My only quarrel with NIAAA is that four drinks per evening is about one too high. Most people are considerably impaired after four drinks unless they've already developed some tolerance, which is a sure sign of alcohol abuse.

Marc Hertzman, MD

Bethesda

I don't think young people realize what alcohol abuse is. They think it is normal to drink four or five glasses of beer or mixed drinks on an evening out.

Doctors need to screen patients about alcohol use and say if you are drinking more than five drinks in an evening and you're male, or four drinks and you're female, you need to take a serious look at your drinking now and what it means down the road.

Students and young adults look around, see adults of all ages, occupations and socioeconomic levels abusing alcohol, and think it is the norm!

Dawn L. Warner

Cambridge, Mass.

I'm 60 years old, I drink beer a lot, but I'm trying to reduce my intake. I was curious how much alcohol is in American beer and I've found beers vary in alcohol content from 3 to 6 percent.

I had difficulty finding that information, however, because U.S. beer producers are apparently not required to label the alcohol content on packages, and that information is buried in their Web sites. If beer companies really want people to "drink responsibly," then print the alcohol content conspicuously and educate the public.

I think most underage drinkers have no clue about the alcohol content of what they are drinking.

Baird Smith

Alexandria

Unvaccinated Kids

I noticed an error in "Faith Lets Some Kids Skip Shots" [June 10]. The number of confirmed measles cases reported this year in the United States is 64, and that's a nationwide number as of April 28, not in San Diego alone.

Lauren Hutchens

Philadelphia

Parents who don't allow their children to be vaccinated should send a letter to their insurance company, stating they have waived medical advice so they will be personally be responsible for all costs if their child catches an illness that a vaccine can prevent. We allow people to reap the benefits of a civilized society and modern science even as they endanger it. Let them put their money where their mouth is if they don't want to play by the rules.

Bridget Collins

Kensington

ACL Efforts Are Not New

The concept that females tear their anterior cruciate ligaments more frequently than males and that a prevention program may help reduce the incidence of non-contact ACL injuries is not new ["Jump This Way," June 3]. Your article doesn't mention other programs already out there.

For example, Fairfax County Public Schools introduced a program in the 2004-2005 school year targeting five sports where the incidence of ACL injuries is higher than in other female sports. Athletes are learning to be spatially aware, conscious of their bodies, and are improving their coordination and balance while trying to prevent injury.

Kathy Ayers

Health and Physical Education Teacher

Fairfax County Public Schools

Annandale