It Ain't Right
It's really not too hard to find weird news out there. Some of it's dumb; some of it's funny; some of it is sad. But every once in a while I find something that just really ticks me off. Here's one of those:
Pennsylvania Man Loses License Over Beer Drinking
Now, this man didn't lose his license because he was a drunk driver, or because he was seeing a psychiatrist for alcoholism problems, or for any other legitimate reason. He lost it because he gave his doctor an average of how much beer he usually likes to drink. Beer drunk on his own time, in his own house, not on the road. But his doctor decided this average was too high, so he played the snitch and turned him in to the state.
When you go to see a doctor, it is customary to be asked if you drink or smoke, and if so, how much? But answering with an average of a six-pack per day does not necessarily mean that's how much you drink every day. Four six-packs on the weekend plus 3-4 beers a day during the week still comes out to an average of one six-pack per day. This may not be a smart way to live, but it is not criminal or necessarily dangerous. The PA law states that doctors are required to turn patients in over "any physical or mental impairments in patients that could compromise their ability to drive safely." Now, alcohol consumption (as distinguished from alcoholism) may be a factor in determining some medical conditions, but it is not a condition or "impairment" in and of itself -- not unless we are willing to classify everything we put in our mouths as a medical condition.
I have as big a problem with drunk driving as anybody else -- it is one of the most blatantly irresponsible things a citizen could do. I also understand the need for doctors' input when it comes to the priviledge of driver's licenses. Being from one of the 44 states without a law like PA's, I have seen plenty of the flipside of the situation. My elderly grandmother, albeit a sweet and godly woman, had and used her driver's license far longer than her health and capabilities should have allowed. For quite some time, it was one of my mother's greatest frustrations that she could not find a doctor who was willing to tell my grandmother to get off the road. Maybe it's a Texas thing, but the doctors there seem to want to assume responsibility and independence on the part of the patient, rather than jump for an opportunity to meddle.
That is my biggest problem with this story. The PA law, while fulfilling a legitimate concern, assumes guilt on the part of the patient and expects the accused to prove his own innocence. It assumes an omni-benevolent state and it turns the citizen into the suspect. It also seems to be part of the growing trend in the media, the medical industry, and especially (in my opinion) the insurance industry against those favorite sins of drinking, smoking, and over-eating. I could write another whole essay on this point, but I'll stop here and leave you with a couple more related news-of-the-day links and an invitation to leave any opinions or thoughts on the comments page.
Medicare to Fund Obesity Treatment
Senate OKs Bill Giving FDA Increased Regulator Power over Tobacco
Pennsylvania Man Loses License Over Beer Drinking
Now, this man didn't lose his license because he was a drunk driver, or because he was seeing a psychiatrist for alcoholism problems, or for any other legitimate reason. He lost it because he gave his doctor an average of how much beer he usually likes to drink. Beer drunk on his own time, in his own house, not on the road. But his doctor decided this average was too high, so he played the snitch and turned him in to the state.
When you go to see a doctor, it is customary to be asked if you drink or smoke, and if so, how much? But answering with an average of a six-pack per day does not necessarily mean that's how much you drink every day. Four six-packs on the weekend plus 3-4 beers a day during the week still comes out to an average of one six-pack per day. This may not be a smart way to live, but it is not criminal or necessarily dangerous. The PA law states that doctors are required to turn patients in over "any physical or mental impairments in patients that could compromise their ability to drive safely." Now, alcohol consumption (as distinguished from alcoholism) may be a factor in determining some medical conditions, but it is not a condition or "impairment" in and of itself -- not unless we are willing to classify everything we put in our mouths as a medical condition.
I have as big a problem with drunk driving as anybody else -- it is one of the most blatantly irresponsible things a citizen could do. I also understand the need for doctors' input when it comes to the priviledge of driver's licenses. Being from one of the 44 states without a law like PA's, I have seen plenty of the flipside of the situation. My elderly grandmother, albeit a sweet and godly woman, had and used her driver's license far longer than her health and capabilities should have allowed. For quite some time, it was one of my mother's greatest frustrations that she could not find a doctor who was willing to tell my grandmother to get off the road. Maybe it's a Texas thing, but the doctors there seem to want to assume responsibility and independence on the part of the patient, rather than jump for an opportunity to meddle.
That is my biggest problem with this story. The PA law, while fulfilling a legitimate concern, assumes guilt on the part of the patient and expects the accused to prove his own innocence. It assumes an omni-benevolent state and it turns the citizen into the suspect. It also seems to be part of the growing trend in the media, the medical industry, and especially (in my opinion) the insurance industry against those favorite sins of drinking, smoking, and over-eating. I could write another whole essay on this point, but I'll stop here and leave you with a couple more related news-of-the-day links and an invitation to leave any opinions or thoughts on the comments page.
Medicare to Fund Obesity Treatment
Senate OKs Bill Giving FDA Increased Regulator Power over Tobacco
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