Welcome to the Alcohol Problems and Solutions website. It’s been debunking myths and sharing effective peer-reviewed ways to reduce drinking problems and live healthier. And it’s been doing so for over a quarter century.
The site is educational and written by Dr. David J. Hanson, Professor Emeritus of the State University of New York. It receives no outside support.
Pick a Rehab: Helpful Suggestions for Selecting a Good One
To pick a rehab is a awesome task. Whether it’s for you or a loved one. The stakes are high.The pressure is great. You want to select a good one. It’s a major choice. The results can be enormous. So how do you pick a rehab? We have concrete suggestions… Read more
Drink Too Much Alcohol? Helpful, Practical Suggestions
Do you suspect you might drink too much alcohol. Many people do. Here are practical suggestions for either cutting down or quitting. There are also tips for helping loved ones who have a drinking problem. Useful sources of help for alcohol and drinking abuse problems are also given. Drink Too… Read more
Dominion Alliance: Total Suppression of the Liquor Traffic.
The US had the Anti-Saloon League. And Canada its Dominion Alliance. To be more specific, the Dominion Alliance for the Total Suppression of the Liquor Traffic. The temperance movement began in Canada in the early nineteenth century. It was largely local. And it began in the eastern provinces. The movement… Read more
Temperance Trivia: Fun Trivia Mostly From the Past
Temperance trivia! It’s fun. Amaze yourself. Then impress your friends and family. Trivia A temperance “scientist” said that inhaling alcohol vapors could lead to defective children. And for three generations.1 Those vapors must be really powerful! A temperance newspaper warned of people who drink alcohol. If they gave birth to… Read more
F.E.W. Harper: African American Temperance Advocate
F.E.W. Harper was an author, poet, and public speaker. She wrote and spoke about temperance and abolition. And later she spoke on the right of women to vote. Frances Ella Watkins was born free in Baltimore. It was on September 24, 1825. She was orphaned by age three. Watkins’ aunt… Read more
Ida B. Wells: African American Temperance Advocate
Ida B. Wells was born in Holly Springs, MS on July 16th, 1862. That was during the the Civil War (1861-1865). She was born enslaved. Wells saw the link between enslavement by humans and by alcohol. So she promoted the temperance movement. In 1895, Ms. Wells married Ferdinand Lee Barnett. He… Read more
Martin Delany: African American Temperance Advocate
Martin Delany was an African American abolitionist and temperance supporter. Delaney was born in Charles Town, VA (now WV). He was the son an enslaved father and a free mother. That was in 1812. In 1843 he began publishing a newspaper Later, along with Frederick Douglass, they published The North Star.… Read more
Detecting Intoxication: Difficult Even for Police
Police officers and sheriff’s deputies often assume that they’e good at detecting intoxication. They report that people smelled of alcohol, acted drunk, or sounded intoxicated because of their slurred speech. And such testimony usually persuades juries. However, research does not support officers’ self-reported ability to make such judgments accurately or… Read more
Alcohol Tolerance May be a Sign of Alcohol Dependence
People sometimes take pride in their ability to “hold their liquor.” Instead they should see their doctor. That’s because alcohol tolerance may be a warning sign Alcohol tolerance refers to a decreased response to the effects of alcohol. This reduced sensitivity requires that higher amounts of alcohol be consumed. That… Read more
Brain Science of Alcohol Research Findings often Confused
The findings of brain science of alcohol research can often be confusing. They’re also commonly misrepresented. Many news reports and groups warn us that any consuming alcohol by those under age 21 harms their brains. They tell us that early drinking can Reduce intellectual ability. Harm brain development. Cause learning… Read more
Underage Drinking is Legal in Most US States (Learn Which)
Most U.S. states permit persons under the age of 21 to consume alcohol in many ways. Thus, underage drinking is legal in 41 US states. In spite of “The National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984” (The Act). The National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984 A group opposed to… Read more
Kudzu for Hangovers. Does It Help Sober Up & Relieve Hangovers?
Can people use kudzu for hangovers? Does it help people sober up? Background Kudzu is a vine that flourishes in many states. It’s very common in eastern and southeastern parts of the US. The government promoted it this Asian plant for animal fodder and erosion control. Chinese medicine has used… Read more
Alcohol Facts
- The alcohol content of a regular beer, glass of dinner wine and shot of whiskey or other distilled spirit (80 proof) are all the same. This is alcohol equivalence.
- The U.S. government reports that moderate consumption of alcohol (beer, wine or distilled spirits) improves health and increases longevity.
- Parents have great influence over the choices their children make about alcohol now and in the future.
- Drinking by students in the U.S. continues dropping to historic new lows.
- Distilled spirits (whiskey, brandy, rum, tequila, gin, etc.) contain no carbohydrates, no fats of any kind, and no cholesterol. Get the nutrition facts.