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| Key West Speakeasy Raul's Club, once where the Speakeasy Inn is on Duval Street |
Next week on December 5th, we
celebrate the 85th anniversary of the repeal of Prohibition. This was America’s failed experiment into
restricting the consumption of alcohol, while the days of the speakeasy and bootleg
alcohol trafficking have been left far behind us, a new era of Prohibition-like ideas are once
again showing their ugly heads in public discourse and debate. Some of laws that surround the use of alcohol
continue to loosen. While some local level, states and
municipalities continue to walk back restrictions on where and when alcohol can
be sold. An anti-alcohol agenda fueled by rhetoric
promising increased safety and better health is being advanced by a new group
of activists, researchers and policymakers.
Utah will become the first state in the
country to lower the legal blood alcohol limit for driving from 0.08 to 0.05.
While proponents masquerade the policy as “tough on drunk driving”, the move,
in practice, is an affront on moderate and responsible alcohol consumption. It takes very little alcohol to reach a 0.05
BAC. A 120-pound woman can hit that level after consuming little more than a
single drink, while a 160-pound man will round the threshold after two. It’s clear where the problem lies, and it
isn’t with someone who enjoys a glass or two of their favorite beer, wine or
spirit before heading home. herefore,
although lowering the legal limit may sound good on paper as a strategy to save
lives, the policy will only divert limited traffic safety resources from
focusing on the truly dangerous and legitimately drunk drivers on the road. All
while suppressing moderate and responsible social drinking at bars and restaurants.
