Drunkenness

St. Paul (Rom. 13:13) gives the precept that we are notto engage “in rioting and drunkenness.” Drunkenness is a species of the vice of gluttony. It is a manifest evil.

Drunkenness is a mortal sin in the person who willingly and knowingly deprives himself of the use of reason by excessive drinking. Reason is man’s guide and control for the exercise of virtue and the avoiding of sin. Foolishly and unwarrantedly to deprive oneself of reason is therefore a serious fault.

Drunkenness is not the worst of sins, for it is acarnal sin, and hence is not so evil in itself as spiritual sins.

If a man becomes intoxicated without his fault, either because he does not know that what he drinks is intoxicating, or because he underestimates its strength, or because he is affected by the drink in a manner unusual and unexpected, he is not guilty of sin, and he is excused from the responsibility for anyregrettable conduct which results from his intoxication. If,however, a person becomes intoxicated by his own fault, he is atleast partially responsible for any evils that result from his excessive drinking, just as he is responsible for the intoxication itself.