The irony in stigma shown toward those with alcoholism
[This is the fourth part in a series that examines what stigma looks like and how it damages those who receive it.] In July 2021, the Atlantic published an article that came right to the point in its title: America Has a Drinking Problem. “Few things are more American than drinking heavily,” author Kate Julian wrote. When taking history into account, she is right. For instance, John Hancock, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, made a fortune smuggling wine and Madeira (wine mixed with rum) into the colonies to avoid paying British taxes. When British officials ...