The .08% solution

By Staff
June 3, 2001
Like most states, Mississippi has its share of problems caused by alcohol, from fatal accidents on rural roads, to excesses in the glistening coastal casinos, to employer and family problems in every community.
The solution is not a return to prohibition or any of the antiquated laws about alcohol. The solution is to promote responsible use and to hold the user responsible for his or her actions.
In doing that, Mississippi should join the 25 other states that have lowered the blood alcohol definition of drunk driving from 0.1% to 0.08%. Alabama, Arkansas and Tennessee have already done it. It's a small change, but it would be one that could ultimately save lives on Mississippi roads.
By our count, everyone killed or injured in an accident in which alcohol played a role is a victim, and should be protected, from drunk drivers and from drinking drunk themselves. The Mississippi Legislature ought to lower the standard to 0.08%.