Part I: Hazelden Foundation, Part II: James E. Royce

In recent years some groups have developed treatment programs aimed at teaching problem drinkers to drink in moderation. The Hazelden Foundation and James E. Royce argue in the following viewpoint that it is impossible for problem drinkers to control or modify their drinking habits. The notion that alcoholics— who by definition have lost the ability to control their alcohol consumption—can learn to drink responsibly is absurd and dangerous. In truth, the authors claim, the only successful way to cure alcohol dependency is to promote complete abstinence. The Hazelden Foundation is a nonprofit organization providing rehabilitation, education, prevention, and professional services in the field of chemical dependency. Royce, now deceased, was a Jesuit priest, professor of psychology at Seattle University, and author of Alcoholism and Other Drug Problems...