What is Drunk?

What is drunk? As a Christian this is a good question to ask. The Bible clearly states drunkenness is a sin, just look in any Bible concordance under drink (drunk, drunkards, drunkenness) and you will have plenty of Scripture references. Is being drunk reaching a certain blood alcohol content (BAC) such as 0.08, as defined by the governments of the United States, Mexico, New Zealand, Republic of Ireland, and Canada as "driving drunk"?

A persons actual BAC is dependent on many complex factors, including their physical condition (body composition, health etc). What they recently ingested (including food, water, medication and other drugs). Gender and body weight is another factor. So in other words persons drinking the same amount of alcohol may be effected differently and have a different BAC levels.

An interesting study by expert of the medicolegal aspects of alcohol K.M. Dubowski has divided BAC levels into stages of intoxication.

BAC...................Stage..............(Clinical symptoms)

• 0.01-0.05: Subclinical (behavior nearly normal by ordinary observation)


• 0.03-0.12: Euphoria (mild euphoria, sociability, talkativeness, increased self-confidence)


• 0.09-0.25: Excitement (emotional instability, loss of critical judgment, impaired balance, drowsiness)


• 0.18-0.30: Confusion ( disorientation, staggering gait, dizziness, slurred speech)


• 0.25-0.40: Stupor (inability to walk, vomiting, sleep or stupor)


• 0.35-0.50: Coma (complete unconsciousness)


• 0.45-0.50: Death (death from respiratory arrest)
  

Drunkenness defined in the Wikipedia encyclopedia is: "slurred speech, impaired balance, poor coordination, flushed face, reddened eyes, reduced inhibition, hiccuping and uncharacteristic behavior. Drunkenness can result in temporary experience of a wide range of emotion ranging from anger, sadness, and depression to euphoria, lightheartedness and joviality."

Trying to defined drunkenness is nothing new in 1660, Plymouth Colony codified drunkenness: "By drunkenness is understood a person that either lisps or falters in speech by reason of over-drink that staggers in his going or that vomits by reason of excessive drinking, or cannot follow his calling." Another defined drunkenness reminiscent of a prizefighter floored by an uppercut: "Not drunk is he who from the floor can rise again and still drink more. But drunk is he who prostrate lies without the power to drink or rise. "

Living in our modern times I think it is possible to have a double standard in defining drunkenness. Before the twentieth century they did not have heavy machinery and automobiles as we do today. So a definition of drunkenness needs to be lower when operating these modern day inventions. Before 1983 all states illegal BAC limit was 0.10. Today 46 states has an illegal BAC limit of 0.08. There is talk of lowering the BAC to 0.05. I believe drunk driving is a blight on our society which has cause the lives of thousands of innocent people. I would not oppose to have the limit lowered. The simple solution is don't drink at all if you need to drive.

Even though driving with a BAC of 0.08 and possibly lowering to 0.05 has been determined to be "drunk driving" Is this the the measurement we use to determine that we have surpass the parameters established by God for being drunk? I don't think so. These are mans standards for determining what level of sobriety we need to be to operate inventions of man not for biblical standards under normal conditions. Psalm 104:15 "gladdens the heart" seems to fall into the 0.03-0.12 euphoria stage of intoxication which is acceptable to God if you are of the belief all Scripture is God-breathed. I really think it it is knowing our limit. Just as we know when we have eaten to the point of being full to crossing over the line into gluttony. I know my limits on alcohol and I stop at that line. I may or may not be legal to drive but I will not drive regardless. I may feel the effects of the alcohol by my heart being "gladden" but I also know how not to crossed that line into drunkenness.

Information poured from:
Intoximeters Incorporated;
Drinking With Calvin And Luther