Can you be “Almost” An Alcoholic?

Over at the Huffington Post there is an excellent article by clinical psychologist Joseph Nowinski. Nowinski describes our tendency to categorize drinkers as being either alcoholics or “the rest of us” – that is, non-alcoholics. After all, can a woman be “almost” pregnant? But Nowinksi shows that society’s understanding of drinking behavior is inaccurate.

You most likely know that alcohol is an addictive substance. Over the course of time, drinking may lead to physical dependence. So the truth about drinking Nowinski writes, is that that drinking behavior may generally fall into four categories. There are non-problem social drinkers; drinkers tending to be almost alcoholic; alcohol abusers; and finally, alcoholics. But Nowinski stresses that there are infinite degrees of differences between each category.

Being “almost alcoholic” may result in adverse affects, such as poor sleep and the resulting loss of energy and vitality. There are several other effects of which you should be aware. So I definitely recommend that you read Nowinski’s article if you want to get a handle on understanding drinking behavior and the consequences.

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Oklahoma GOP Wants You Piss-Tested

You probably know that several states are passing laws that require welfare recipients to be tested for drugs. Those states include Utah, Florida, Arizona, and Missouri. The funny thing is that politicians don’t mind ordering citizens without power and means to subject to drug tests, but they exempt themselves. The latest example is in Oklahoma. In the military I was taught leadership by example. That does not seem to exist among our elected representatives.

The idea behind welfare drug testing is apparently that those on welfare should not be spending taxpayer dollars on illegal drugs. Welfare recipients should be spending state money on essential items like food and housing.

I have a few questions. Who will do the drug tests? Who will pay for them? Will this also be more taxpayer money spent? Did drug testing companies lobby politicians to get these bills passed? Will this be more government regulations, more government employees to keep track of the testing, to monitor the testing, to watch people pee in a bottle, to inspect the drug testing facilities, etc?

If you ask me, it seems like many times it is the politicians who act like they are on drugs and need to be piss-tested.



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City Council Member In Alabama Pleads Guilty to Drug Charges

On December 3rd, police from Tuscaloosa, Alabama went to an apartment in search of a possible witness to a murder. At the apartment they found two men who allowed them inside. Although the police found no witness, they did find crack cocaine and crack pipes in plain view. The two men were arrested. One turned out to be Kip Tyner, the 56-year-old City Council member. The story of the arrest is here and here.

As part of his plea, Tyner will apparently enter a court-monitored counseling program. Details about the requirements of the program are reported here.

Crack cocaine is a highly addictive and powerful stimulant that is derived from powdered cocaine. Crack emerged as a drug of abuse in the mid-1980s. It is abused because it produces an immediate high and because it is easy and inexpensive to produce.

Cocaine, in any form, is powerfully addictive. But addiction develops more quickly when the drug is smoked in crack form as opposed to being snorted – though snorting cocaine is addictive, too.

Cocaine use causes constricted blood vessels; increased temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure; and risk of cardiac arrest and seizure. Crack users may also experience acute respiratory problems, such as coughing, shortness of breath, and lung trauma and bleeding. Crack cocaine smoking also can cause aggressive and paranoid behavior.



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Top FAA Official, Randy Babbitt, Steps Down Following DWI Arrest

It didn’t take long for the Federal Aviation Administration to take down the web page of its Administrator - well, former Administrator - Randy Babbitt.

Babbitt was arrested on December 5, 2011 after he drove on the wrong side of the road. The story is here.

Babbitt , a former pilot, was the top aviation safety official in the United States. He quickly resigned so as not to bring further discredit to the FAA.

Babbitt is not the driver in the video below, however it does depict unsafe driving.



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Utah Mayor DUI

Ever hear of Helper, Utah? Neither had we. Helper has a population of a couple thousand people and is located in central Utah. Oh, the Mayor of Helper, Dean Armstrong, was recently arrested for DUI.

The story is here and here.

The arrest occurred at 1:00 in the afternoon after Armstrong was seen making a rolling stop at a stop sign. He was pulled over and performed unsatisfactorily at a field sobriety test. His blood alcohol level was also alleged to be at an unlawful level.



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Tennessee State Representative Todd Arrested for DUI and Gun Charges

It was almost 11:00 p.m. on October 11th when the Nashville police officer observed a SUV speeding and driving erratically−the usual indication of drunk driving. Sure enough, after he pulled the SUV over and approached, the officer smelled alcohol.

The driver was arrested after a field sobriety test. To make matters more interesting a loaded pistol was found in the car. Now for the kicker: the driver was Tennessee State Representative Curry Todd. The story concerning his arrest for DUI and gun possession is here. For his part, Todd recently apologized to his family and supporters for his conduct.

As any longtime reader of the Drunk Politician Blog knows, we are nonpartisan here. It turns out that Todd is a Republican. But no political party has a monopoly on alcohol abuse and addiction problems. Alcohol welcomes both Democrats and Republicans, liberal and conservative. The irony here is that Todd is a proponent of allowing bar patrons to bring their guns into nightclubs. Todd is considering a plea bargain. See here.



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Ohio Councilman Charged With DUI Will Resign

Last Sunday a councilman from Morrow, Ohio was observed by police following a vehicle too closely. When he was pulled over an open container of booze was found in his car. He was eventually charged with DUI. The story is here.

This is not the first arrest for Josh Chambers. Last year he brandished a knife and was charged with menace. He apparently told the Mayor that he will resign.

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Warren County Jail