Dr. Scott Gottlieb said the idea for an FDA approval was to prevent alcohol from being hidden in food and drinks. All data and statistics are based on publicly available information at the time of publication. Some information may be out of date. Visit our coronavirus hub and follow our live updates page for the most current information on the COVID-19 pandemic. The idea for a pill that reduced high-alcohol consumption came from Richard Thaler, who was studying how drugs work. He found that when people took his medication, they had fewer alcoholic drinks than their healthy counterparts. In 1968 he brought the idea to UCL researchers, and they worked for years to get it approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). On November 18, 1988, “at last” they decided to put a pill into pills to drink with, which would essentially stop you drinking and reduce the effects of drinking. This was done in order to stop binge drinking — which is when people consume more than six standard drinks per day on average, according to Harvard Health Publishing. Although there has been some debate about whether or not such products were effective, experts believe this type of intervention is useful for preventing excess health harm as well as promoting good behaviors. Here we take a look at the effectiveness of taking one pill to avoid alcohol. It’s important to note that if you find yourself getting drunk off-and-on again after starting treatment with the drug, it must still be discontinued because you’re likely trying something else.

Can I just stop drinking? No. Taking part in regular drinking can lead to problems like depression, liver damage, cancer, loss of IQ, anxiety, sleep disorders, headaches, irritability, weight gain, heart disease and kidney disease, according to Mayo Clinic. For this reason, although many people benefit from stopping drinking, most aren’t able to quit altogether. These benefits include reducing your risk of death from cirrhosis (scarring), diabetes mellitus, stroke, cardiovascular diseases, heart disease, kidney disease, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and many others because this habit makes you more vulnerable to chronic conditions that cause them. If you do decide to halt drinking, your doctor will give you a referral to get help. There are other ways you can make the switch, including going cold turkey one night and then making up for the previous night’s drinks the next time, alternating between light and moderate drinking, or joining support groups. Once you have successfully completed a detox program your body will begin to adjust and start processing the negative substances in your system. You may notice improvement within a couple of days, especially if you get used to the change. When it comes down to it, however, you will be better protected if you continue to abstain for longer periods of time. But even for those that try quitting with methods other than the pill, the positive changes you see from using these approaches will outweigh any side effects.

Are there risks with the pill? Are there risks with pills to reduce your drinking? Yes, there can be. However, since this isn’t the first pill to treat drinking problems, we know that this drug can do very little to reverse the condition. While it’s true that the pill doesn’t completely eliminate the problem, it does significantly reduce the amount of alcohol consumed. Alcohol will take you to a place where you think the drinker feels like he or she’s actually drunk less than an 8-ounce beer. By switching to this type of treatment, you reduce the impact you have on your body so you can focus on staying sober.

Does it mean I can drink without consequences? Even though the pill could be an option for some drinkers, research shows that no one wants to talk about the possible social consequences of having too much alcohol. As a result, most states have banned such drugs from being sold over the counter in places such as supermarkets and convenience stores. However, many states also allow alcohol sales to retailers in bars, restaurants, clubs, malls, sporting events, stadiums, movie theaters, and gyms, as long as a buyer pays in cash. Many municipalities have passed outright bans because of concerns that customers might become intoxicated during their visit. However, these restrictions are generally lifted once bars have implemented measures to prevent drunk patrons from entering. Not surprisingly, many cities rely heavily on advertising while restricting underage drinking, like those in New York City. People should also understand that not everyone who uses the pill has a drinking disorder. Studies show that the pill doesn’t work well for every person, but people with severe drinking problems shouldn’t consider changing their habits. Because studies show that you can be addicted to alcohol without binge drinking being a contributing factor, most experts believe that the idea of only causing milder symptoms was unnecessary.