Alcohol

Overview

Alcohol is the most widely used and abused substance in Alabama. While often treated as socially acceptable, its destructive impact on families, communities, and public safety is undeniable. ALCAP believes the expansion of alcohol availability undermines public health and moral order, and we advocate for policies that reduce access and minimize harm.

This page is designed to provide information and links to articles that speak to current moral issues facing our society.

Please reference the original article (if available) when using quotes from these resources. ALCAP does not necessarily agree with opinions or “conclusions” that are reached in the following articles, but offers these articles as resource material for research purposes.

Problem

Public Health Crisis: Excessive alcohol use is the third leading preventable cause of death in the United States, killing an estimated 178,000 Americans annually (CDC, 2024).
Youth Exposure: Early alcohol consumption is strongly linked with long-term addiction. In Alabama, nearly 20% of high school students report drinking within the past 30 days (Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance, 2023).
Traffic Safety: Alcohol-impaired driving remains a leading cause of traffic fatalities, responsible for 30% of all motor vehicle deaths nationwide (NHTSA, 2022).
Family Harm: Alcohol is a contributing factor in domestic abuse, divorce, child neglect, and financial ruin.

Impact on Alabama

Alabama has one of the highest per-capita rates of alcohol-related liver disease in the Southeast (Alabama Department of Public Health, 2023).
Rural counties suffer disproportionately when state or local officials expand alcohol sales, creating dependency on “sin taxes” while straining law enforcement and healthcare systems.
Studies show every dollar earned from alcohol sales costs taxpayers at least $2–3 in healthcare, policing, and lost productivity (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse & Alcoholism).

Biblical & Moral Perspective

Policy Position

Action Steps

Sources

Wet/Dry Issues

Alcohol Justice (formerly the Marin Institute) has published a report on Big Alcohol’s efforts to privatize alcohol sales in control states. The report, titled “Control State Politics: How Big Alcohol is Dismantling Regulation State by State,” explains the likely outcomes to states that turn over alcohol sales to private businesses.

These states may experience a short-term cash windfall, but the loss of reliable income, coupled with increases in alcohol-related harm, will damage economic stability and public health in the longer term.

Alcohol Justice

Featured Bills

Alcohol