What Can We Do about Excessive Drinking? Alcohol is a legal beverage, but its misuse hurts people, costs our nation billions of dollars, and makes the public less safe. The question remains: What can we do about excessive alcohol use?"

This issue guide presents three options for deliberation:

Protect Others from Danger

Society should do what it takes to protect itself from the negative consequences of drinking behavior.

Help People with Alcohol Problems

We need to help people reduce their drinking.

Change Society''s Relationship with Alcohol

This option says that solutions must address the societal attitudes and environments that make heavy drinking widely accepted.