Who’s To Blame When You Get Drunk?
by Lisa Frederiksen
This was the title of NPR’s Talk of the Nation’s December 29 program and offered an excellent forum for the issues surrounding who is responsible for a person getting drunk. Is it the person doing the drinking or the person who is serving or both?
The program opened with a mother sharing the story of her son who was served 15 drinks within an hour on the eve of his 21st birthday. He died of alcohol poisoning.
This program is definitely worth listening to and prompted me to again share the importance of staying within “safe” drinking limits — not only for the person doing the drinking but for those who are serving (party hosts, bartenders, restaurant servers…). Here are a few tips:
- Understand what constitutes “A” standard drink. You’ve heard it before and have read it in many articles but have you tried to measure it and see what it looks like? “A” drink of wine is 5 ounces; “A” drink of beer is 12 ounces; and “A” drink of spirits (vodka, gin, scotch) is 1.5 ounces. This means that drinks poured and consumed at bars, restaurants, holiday parties and private gatherings often contain more than one standard drink as follows:
- a margarita = 3-4 drinks
- a martini = 2-3 drinks
- a long island ice tea = 2-3 drinks
- a shot of 150 proof spirits = 2 drinks
- a scotch on the rocks = 2 drinks
- a standard bottle of table wine = 5 drinks.
- Know your glasses. What I mean here is understand that various homes, restaurants and party locations will have different types of glasses, which means a glass of wine, for example, can have far more than just “A” drink of alcohol, depending on the type of glass that’s being used. This is another reason to actually measure out 5 ounces or 12 ounces or 1.5 ounces in various, common glass shapes, so that you have a clear visual of what “A” drink looks like.
- Track the number of drinks. Binge drinking for women is consuming four or more drinks on one occasion and for men it is consuming five or more. This means that women should drink no more than three on one occasion and men no more than four. Beyond these limits people loose their capacity to think clearly and make wise decisions (like not driving, not having unprotected or unwanted sex, not getting into a fight). So not only should people who consume and serve alcohol be clear on how many standard drinks are in the drink they are consuming or serving, they should also be sure not to exceed 3 if a woman and 4 if a man. [Please know these limits will not work for everyone. Size, weight, quantity of food and water consumed, overall health and the existence of other medications in one's system can make safe drinking limits something less than these guidelines. Additionally, NIAAA guidelines state safe drinking limits for women as no more than 7 drinks in a week, nor 3 in a day (occasion) and for men as no more than 14 drinks in a week or 4 in a day (occasion).]
- Consider posting a sign. So much of why people over-drink is lack of knowledge about what constitutes a drink and the definition of binge drinking. You may wish to create a simple, “friendly” sign that lists the standard drink content of the beverages you will be serving and reminding people of safe drinking quantities and limits. And, if you are hosting a party or own a restaurant/bar, make sure the person serving is not drinking.
For more on staying within safe drinking limits, you may wish to read this post.
