That said, there are some starting points, some premises, that we should state for the purpose of framing the discussion, without presupposing its outcomes. First, we should distinguish between the substance, alcohol, and the behavior, alcohol abuse. Efforts to control the behavior by controlling the substance have always led to unintended consequences, such as smuggling, home production, fraud, theft, and bribery. To cite but one example, our laws concerning driving with open containers of beverage alcohol in the vehicle have led to highways littered with cans and broken bottles, and vehicle occupants who drink faster than they would prefer, in order to dispose of the container promptly. There is no reason to expect renewed efforts of the same sort to yield different outcomes.
Beverage alcohol is simply too easy to manufacture, store, transport, and consume.
Second, we should distinguish between acute and chronic patterns of alcohol abuse. At its most extreme, acute abuse leads to unconsciousness and death, while chronic abuse leads to cirrhosis of the liver and classic alcoholism. We should not expect a policy that is effective against one pattern to necessarily be effective against others. Third, we must distinguish between policies that have been implemented and have failed, and policies that have failed to be implemented. Fourth, we should strive for policies that have the broadest possible application, yet can be stated simply.