What are the DUI trends in the US? (DUI is driving under the influence of alcohol. Often defined as DWI or similar initials.) It’s dropped greatly since 1980. But it remains a major problem. That’s because even a single DUI death is a needless tragedy. I. The Study Researchers wanted to measure DUI trends over …
Wine experts and wine snobism can intimidate people. We’re afraid to trust our own judgment of what we like. Or of what we think we “should” like. Most people want a good wine at a reasonable price. Should you rely on wine experts? Their advice should be, well, expert. As we’ll see, the experts aren’t …
I. Potential Problem Industry funding of research can sometimes bias research findings. That was the case of tobacco company support of smoking research. Many people are concerned about alcohol research funding. They think research on health effects of moderate drinking by producers may bias the findings. That’s a very logical and sound concern. Here’s a …
Confusing correlation with causation is natural. We all tend to fall into the trap. The classic example is the correlation between high ice cream sales and drownings. And the sale of sunglasses. But ice cream sales don’t cause either drownings or the sale of sunglasses. The cause of these things is clearly warm weather. It’s …
I. Scare Tactics The use of alcohol education scare tactics has been traditional in alcohol education. But the alcohol education scare approach isn’t effective. Yet this fact has’t discouraged its use. But research beginning in the 1930s has found that scare tactics tend to be ineffective. And can be counterproductive. In short, people tend to …
Iain Murray argues here that alcohol abuse guesstimates aren’t statistics. Therefore, we shouldn’t treat such guestimates as if they were true. Alcohol Abuse Guesstimates If every night is party night on college campuses. A study warns of serious problems for students. Researchers at Boston University charge that their alcohol use kills over 1,400 students …
Is drinking in pregnancy beneficial to the children born? Could light drinking actually help children? If so, should pregnant women drink a little? The Research Researchers used a nationally representative sample of infants born in the UK. The infants were part of a larger study. That project followed the health of children born in a …
Exactly what is alcoholism? Alcoholism isn’t a “thing” but a cluster of behaviors. It’s often called a disease. However, most facts suggests that it is not. Indeed, many doctors reject the theory that alcoholism is a disease. They do so for lack of facts supporting it. Visit Is Alcoholism a Disease? to learn more about the …
Parents giving alcoholic drinks to their adolescents? Is this a good idea? Research suggests it is. Some adolescents get their first drink from friends or others. Others get it from their parents. The latter group has fewer later alcohol-related problems. That includes heavy episodic drinking or so-called “bingeing.” That shouldn’t be surprising. It’s the typical …
Both intoxication and distraction are dangerous for driving. Either can cause a fatal traffic crash. Combining the two further increases the risk of crashes, according to research. Study subjects used a driving simulator. Their primary goal (# 1) was to keep a safe distance from the vehicle ahead of them. Their secondary goal (# 2) …
