I noticed via Overlawyered that Texas has started cracking down on public intoxication in bars. The Houston Chronicle has a pretty good article on the story:
More than 2,200 people have been arrested in Texas bars in the six months since the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission announced a crackdown on public intoxication, primarily targeting bars.[...]
Part of the problem with enforcing the state’s code regulating alcohol sales is “people still think that a bar is place to go get drunk,” Beck said. “People can go into bars and have fun with their friends and not become intoxicated to the point whether they may become a danger to themselves or others.”
People arrested for public intoxication “are not people who had a couple of beers with dinner. They are people who are so drunk that they caught the attention of a TABC agent,” Beck said.
Some of the comments I read elsewhere included quotes of folks complaining about where else should one go to get drunk other than a bar, or of hotel patrons being arrested in hotel bars.
If authorities were arresting folks who were only somewhat buzzed from a couple of drinks, I think such criticism is fair. However, as someone who has in the past been somewhat annoyed over the hypocritical/special treatment given to alcohol as opposed to other drugs…. it’s difficult for me to get too riled up on the subject.
Admittedly, I’d prefer more of a live-and-let-live/personal responsibility/intoxication is not a defense against crimes or negligence stance, but I think current American culture makes it unlikely that such an enlightened view would be taken by authorities.