Secret drinking when it's against the law is having parties where alcohol is served. We tried that already. The Constitutional amendment has been repealed.

Secret drinking when it's a personal health problem is drinking when no one else is looking.

Secret party drinking sets an easy behavior pattern for people who have a problem. They learn how to avoid detection with their friends, and continue doing it after they turn 21. People who don't have a problem simply attend parties where alcohol is served out in the open when they turn 21, and no longer drink in secret.

No one says anyone must drink. "Everything that is not forbidden is required"? No. I oppose forbidding one adult prerogative to all people otherwise categorized as adults because it causes a health problem for some adults.

Learning to fire an automatic weapon is a poor analogy. All one has to do is join the Army to learn that, something one can do at the ripe old age of 18. Incidentally, one can be licensed to hunt with a rifle at 12 in Pennsylvania. Granted, it's not even a semi-automatic weapon, but it's still dangerous in the wrong hands. Yet we have more heart attacks during deer season than accidental shootings, by anyone. Why? Because, when it's legal, instruction and support are available.

Alcohol has good as well as bad health effects, and is used in various forms in cuisine the world over. The solution to the bad health effects is to treat the health problems, not to have people arrested.

I understand that you are approaching this issue from a personal point of view. So am I.