America has had a tumultuous relationship with alcohol, migrating from love to hate to the current health-conscious stance. The drink functions as a social lubricant or addition to a meal and can either be fermented to produce wines or distilled into spirits. Beer is popular in America and is made by combining barley malt and cereal grain. Alcohol-related deaths, such as Charlotte County Sheriff’s Deputy Christopher Taylor in November 2022, in a driving under the influence case implicating Cassandra Smith, focus on America’s ever-changing relationship with alcohol.
Increased alcohol intake adversely affects critical thinking, physical performance, and communication. Fatalities from drunk driving have dropped from 50,000 in 1980 to 36,000 in 2019 (McKim & Hancock, 2022). Nonetheless, Cassandra Smith, a Lakeville, Massachusetts native, was arrested in November 2022 for losing control of her vehicle while driving on the I-75 (Pellegrino, 2023). Law enforcement agents ascertained she was drinking then, which was her second similar charge. Her initial arrest occurred at Palm Beach, where her speech was slurred, and she failed the required sobriety tests. Her actions resulted in the death of Deputy Christopher Taylor and culminated in a denial of bail in January (Pellegrino, 2023). This latter decision was primarily due to her action’s severity, emotional impact on the deputy’s friends and family.
Research on alcohol’s side effects are well documented and extensive. These effects surpass the physical and affect the societal structure, functioning, and performance. The death of Deputy Christopher Taylor caused emotional damage to his family and friends and deprived society of a law enforcement agent. However, it is vital to note that the perpetrator had committed a previous crime and failed to learn from her actions. Cassandra Smith’s actions exemplify America’s laissez-faire attitude and love of alcohol. Assessing the country’s past interactions with the beverage is vital to understand current events.
Americans initially favored alcoholic beverages with little public concern about a social problem. In the 1700s, citizens preferred them to drinking water due to contamination, but a new perception emerged after the revolution (McKim & Hancock, 2022). This religion-inspired approach received backing from the temperance society, which was initially composed of physicians. Benjamin Rush was among the first to notice the correlation between distilled spirits and physical maladies such as jaundice and epilepsy. He recommended avoiding them entirely and sticking to beer and wine in moderation. This moderate change occurred in the 1800s and was heralded by the middle-class elite.
However, the 1900s bought a wave of immigrants who provided a robust market and artificial refrigeration, birthed an increase in breweries. This shift brought about the prohibition and the cultural shift in the American public’s perception of alcohol. The legislation in the early 1900s led to the closure of 100,000 licensed bars; however, it did not result in an alcohol-free society (McKim & Hancock, 2022). Instead, organized crime became vastly better structured and profited greatly from prohibition. Taxation from alcoholic beverages continues to be a dependable source of funds for the federal government resulting in approximately $10 billion in 2019 (McKim & Hancock, 2022). Despite a reduction in taxation fees for small alcohol producers, the fees are likely to revert to normal in the future.
In conclusion, alcoholic beverages depend on fermentation or distillation for production. America’s relationship with alcohol has shifted from negative during the prohibition to a health-conscious contemporary space. Despite the well-documented impact that beverage has on crime, violence, and physical performance, cases related to drinking and driving still occur. An event such as Cassandra Smith’s fatal interaction with Deputy Taylor sensitizes the need for legislation on alcohol. Drinking and driving derive society of essential resources, and people must maintain moderate toxicity levels and avoid alcohol poisoning to maintain a healthy body and mindset.
References
McKim, W. A., & Hancock, S. D. (2022). Drugs and behavior an introduction to behavioral pharmacology. Langara College.
Pellegrino, J. (2023). Woman accused of killing Charlotte County deputy in DUI crash denied bond for second time. WINK News. Web.