Drunks cost America $223 billion a year

This is one of the most idiotic things I've read recently. Didn't we learn anything from prohibition? Well....I suppose not since we still have the the great "war on drugs". [ 40+ years of wasted taxpayer monies] If you make something illegal you merely drive people to the black market and allow criminals to make billions. A certain percentage of people will find a way to destroy themselves regardless of what roadblocks you put in their path. We need to accept the fact that some people simply lack self control, and we can't fix it. The rest of us shouldn't have to suffer because of a few idiots.

Jeez, I need a drink!

i am so sick of hearing from the risk management people and the financial sector of healthcare with their stories about how peoples lifestyles are broken down into $ amounts.  I remember when people had the choice to make decisions and they were the ones who paid the penalty for not doing the right thing.  So is this suppose to make me angry about those that drink just like these groups did with smokers?  Well I say to each his/her own.  I don't need some number cruncher to dictate how I live my life, or put a price on what I do and do not do. 

I'll tell you what, how much undo stress and distress do all these ridiculous statements cause society.  STOP MICRO MANAGING PEOPLES LIVES!!!!

"For the most part, it has to do with lost productivity at work, which accounts for 72% of the economic impact; presumably this is mainly attributed to employees with hangovers and businessmen trying to resurrect the three-martini lunches of old."

Tell me old chap, how exactly, does one measure loss of productivity due to hangovers and then correlate it to a 223 billion dollar cost to the economy?  This has to be the weakest article I've ever read on the internet. How's that for a generalization?  Also, listen to this fact I just made up:  90% of statistics are made up. Sigh, me.

Costs are relative, what is the cost of doing without? If we all stop ,doesn't the lack off money movement have an extremely bad impact on the economy? What about the loss of jobs? a lot of people work in the liqueur industry. How about health benefits when used in moderation.  Alcohol , Food, Drugs , medicines , religion , politics.. All have a cost when taken beyond moderation.

As for lost productivity, Well , Harumf, Don't most of the employers out there underpay and overwork their employees? But the job still gets done, What lost productivity? they already bleed us dry !