A review of treatment and rehabilitation legislation regarding alcohol abusers and alcoholics in the United States: 1920-1971.

A review of various legislative and judicial decisions in the area of alcohol abuse and alcoholism is presented. With heightened awareness of alcoholism as our nation's number one drug problem, the federal government has developed a national institute to coordinate multimodal prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation programs. It is noted that several historical cases promoted the courts and investigating committees to recommend to our states that the crime of public drunkenness be removed. The recently developed Uniform Alcoholism Intoxication Treatment Act is discussed along with some of the intervention techniques being employed to deal with drinking drivers.