Prior to the United States entering World War II, those supporting Prohibition thought they had yet another chance to ban alcohol.  They actively sought to promote the idea that the troops needed to be fully sober in order to preserve the freedom of Americans. This time, it did not work, and the “wets” prevailed.

According to author Lori Rotskoff, during World War II, the brewers were especially clever, linking alcohol to patriotism and what “our boys”  were fighting for back home, such as steaks in the backyard and a cold beer.  Another concept that was heavily promoted by all who favored retaining the sale of alcohol was the idea of moderation in drinking,  which was strongly used in advertisements and any mention of alcohol.  Drinking in moderation was perceived as a good thing. Excessive drinking and alcoholism was still considered bad, if it was considered at all.

The banning of alcohol was clearly a thing of the past.  Or was it?  After the passage of the National Underage Drinking Act in 1984,  underage soldiers were lawfully banned from drinking in most cases. However, research has shown that military members, particularly Marines, are a very hard-drinking group.  Some studies have shown that the military has a major problem with alcohol, which may be embedded in military culture, according to some experts.

Betty Ford: A Change Maker Who Admitted to Problems with Alcoholism 
In 1978, Betty Ford, wife of President Gerald Ford, openly admitted to having problems with alcohol as well as prescription drugs and receiving rehabilitative treatment, shocking many people.  Part of the shock came from surprise that Mrs. Ford had such a problem, but probably the greater part of the shock was that she openly admitted it to the public. Prior to that time, the problems of female drinkers (as well as women who abused prescription drugs) generally were hidden and not discussed. If they were discussed, the underlying assumption was that only weak or bad women had such problems.  Robert DuPont, who also served as the first director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, said, “She made it [addiction]  a disease that a good person could have and get well from.”

The Betty Ford Center was opened in 1982 in Rancho Mirage, California, and the organization celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2007. According to author Carl Sherman in his article on the Ford Center,  “The respectability of a former first lady,  a popular image of elegance,  and the glamour of A-list clientele that have included prominent entertainers (Elizabeth Taylor,  Robert Mitchum,  Liza Minnelli,  and Johnny Cash) and sports figures, such as Mickey Mantle, have helped neutralize the stigma of addiction treatment.” The Betty Ford Center is not just a place for celebrities,  however,  and of the more than 26,000 clients,  many average individuals have received treatment in the clinic.

According to Jerome L. Short, Colleen J. Shogan, and Nicole M. Owings in their article about Betty Ford, “The larger impact of her efforts was to help break down the stigma associated with psychological disorders by speaking out about her anxiety and substance abuse, obtaining professional help, and making treatment more widely available to others.”

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Mark S. Gold, M.D. and Christine Adamec

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REFERENCES

1. Amethyst Initiative.  Statement.  Available online.  Accessed March 1, 2009.
2. Beirness,  Douglas J.,  and Erin E.  Beasley.  Alcohol and Drug Use Among Drivers: British Columbia Roadside Survey, 2008. Ottawa, Ontario: Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse, 2009.
3. Berridge,  Virginia,  and Sarah Mars.  “History of Addictions.”  Journal of Epidemiology and Public Health 58 (2003): 747–750.
4. Blanco,  Carlos,  M.D.,  et al.  “Mental Health of College Students and Their Non-College-Attending Peers: Results from the National Epidemiologic Study on Alcohol and Related Conditions.”  Archives of General Psychiatry 65, no. 12 (2008): 1,429–1,437.
5. Blocker,  Jack S.,  Jr.  “Did Prohibition Really Work: Alcohol Prohibition as a Public Health Innovation.” American Journal of Public Health 96,  no.  2 (2006): 233–243.

Full References  »