Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism: A New Era in an Old Campaign
On May 14, 1974 the President signed into law the Comprehensive Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Prevention, Treatment and Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1974. This legislation renews and extends the Federal commitment to the fight against alcoholism. This article reviews the major provisions of the Act and suggests how it can be implemented. The Amendments incorporate features of the Model Uniform Act with an incentive for their adoption by the States, an historic first. The essential features include decriminalizing the drunkenness offense and assuring adequate treatment for all alcoholic people. The Amendments also strongly rule out discrimination against alcoholic people and protect the confidentiality of records.