Booze Is Next in Bloomberg's Sights

Whatever you think of Michael Bloomberg's politics, he sure does care about public health. The NYC mayor has gone after cigarettes, trans fats and sugar-filled drinks—and now he's taking on booze. The city’s Health Department plans to gage the extent of alcohol abuse with the help of a mass 50-question telephone survey. "Issues to be explored include behavior patterns around unhealthy alcohol consumption and awareness of existing alcohol-related laws and standards,'' the department reportedly told bidders hoping to conduct the poll. To downplay the role of alcohol in the survey, health officials claim they "routinely conduct surveys about important health issues to learn more about them." But reports have surfaced saying that the survey "will put a heavy emphasis on booze, along with some questions on drug use, indicating the city is delving deeper into the drinking problem." Health officials reassure a nervous public that the survey won’t lead to a ban on alcohol, but rather a potential increase in public education over alcohol's dangers.