Allegations of substance abuse have arisen during the political career of George W. Bush. Bush has admitted to abusing alcohol until he was age 40. Some critics have suggested that he used illegal drugs (cocaine and/or marijuana) as well, and that his speeches and actions as President of the United States reflect his tendency toward substance abuse (see Dry drunk syndrome). George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the 43rd and current President of the United States and a former governor of Texas. ... This article is about the drug cocaine. ... Species Cannabis indica Cannabis ruderalis Cannabis sativa Cannabis is a genus of flowering plant that includes one or more species. ... The presidential seal was used by President Hayes in 1880 and last modified in 1959 by adding the 50th star for Hawaii. ... Dry drunk is a term used by members of Alcoholics Anonymous and other substance abuse counselors to describe the recovering alcoholic who is no longer drinking (i. ...

Alcohol

Bush has described his days before his religious conversion in his 40s as his "nomadic" period and "irresponsible youth" and admitted to drinking "too much" in those years. In Fortunate Son: George W. Bush and the Making of an American President by James Hatfield, Bush is quoted as saying that "alcohol began to compete with my energies ... I'd lose focus". Although Bush states that he was not an alcoholic, he has acknowledged that he was "drinking too much" (as reported by Nicholas Kristof in How Bush Came to Tame His Inner Scamp, The New York Times, July 29, 2000), and that he couldn't remember a day when he hadn't had a drink, including his stay at Philips Academy, where not only was he underage but alcohol was prohibited on campus, as well as at Yale where, conversely, "hard drinking" was considered a badge of honor (as reported in Fortunate Son: George W. Bush and the Making of an American President by James Hatfield). Fortunate Son is a controversial biography of current American president George W. Bush by J.H. Hatfield. ... James Howard Hatfield (January 7, 1958 - July 18, 2001) was an American author. ... Nicholas D. Kristof is a columnist for The New York Times whose specialty is East Asian affairs, especially those of the Peoples Republic of China. ... The New York Times is a newspaper published in New York City by Arthur O. Sulzberger Jr. ... July 29 is the 210th day (211th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 155 days remaining. ... This article is about the year 2000. ... Yale can refer to an educational institution: Yale University, one of the United States oldest universities. ...

Bush's drinking may not have caused problems were it not for his tendency to become excessively uninhibited, according to reports of friends. In the article referenced above, Kristof quotes Bush's cousin Elsie Walker as saying, "He was a riot. But afterward, when you're older, that can wear thin", and gives the example of Bush asking a "proper" female friend of his parents at a family cocktail party, "So, what's sex like after 50, anyway?"

• In December, 1966, he was arrested for disorderly conduct after he and some friends had "a few beers" and stole a Christmas wreath from a hotel. [1] The charges were later dropped.
• On September 4, 1976, Bush was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol near his family's summer home in Kennebunkport, Maine. He admitted his guilt, was fined $150, and had his driving license in the state suspended for two years, implying two prior convictions. [The White House had claimed 30 days, the document shows two years.] [2] This incident did not become public knowledge until it was reported in the press in the week before the 2000 election.

The most notorious episode, reported in numerous diverse sources including U.S. News & World Report, November 1, 1999, Secrecy & Privilege: Rise of the Bush Dynasty from Watergate to Iraq by Robert Parry, First Son: George W. Bush and the Bush Family Dynasty by Bill Minutaglio, and W: Revenge of the Bush Dynasty by Elizabeth Mitchell, has 26 year old George W. Bush, visiting his parents in Washington, D. C. over the Christmas vacation in 1972 shortly after the death of his grandfather, taking his 16 year old brother Marvin out drinking. On the way home, George lost control of the car and ran over a garbage can, but continued home with the can wedged noisily under the car. When his father, George H. W. Bush, called him on the carpet for not only his own behavior but for exposing his younger brother to risk, George W., still under the influence, retorted angrily, "I hear you're looking for me. You wanna go mano a mano right here?" Before the elder Bush could reply, the situation was defused by brother Jeb, who took the opportunity to surprise his father with the happy news that George W. had been accepted to Harvard Business School. 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1966 calendar). ... In the criminal law of the United States of America, disorderly conduct is a name given to a rather ill defined crime. ... Christmas is a Christian holiday held on December 25 which celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. ... A wreath is a ring made of flowers, leaves, and sometimes fruits, used as an ornament, hanging on a wall or door, or resting on a table. ... September 4 is the 247th day of the year (248th in leap years). ... 1976 (MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1976 calendar). ... Drunk driving (drink driving in the UK) or drinking and driving is the act of operating a motor vehicle after having consumed alcohol (i. ... Boats on the Kennebunk River between Kennebunk and Kennebunkport Kennebunkport is a town located in York County, Maine. ... Official language(s) None Capital Augusta Largest city Portland Area  - Total   - Width   - Length    - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 39th 33,414 sq mi  86,542 km² 190 miles  305 km 320 miles  515 km 13. ... Presidential electoral votes by state. ... U.S. News & World Report is a weekly newsmagazine. ... November 1 is the 305th day of the year (306th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 60 days remaining. ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... Robert Parry is an American investigative journalist who has written extensively about the Iran-Contra scandal, among other things. ... Elizabeth Mitchell (born on 27 March 1970 in Los Angeles, California, USA and raised in Dallas, Texas) is an American actress who has made appearances in The Santa Clause 2, Nurse Betty, Gia, ER and numerous other film and TV shows. ... ... Christmas is a Christian holiday held on December 25 which celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. ... 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1972 calendar). ... Marvin Pierce Bush (born October 22, 1956) is the youngest son of George H. W. Bush and Barbara Pierce, and brother of George W., John (Jeb), Neil and Dorothy. ... A dustbin is a container used to store refuse, can be made out of metal or plastic¹. Indoor bins are traditionally kept in the kitchen² to dispose of culinary excess such as fruit peelings or food packets, although there are also wastepaper baskets (sometimes called circular files) which are used... John Ellis Jeb Bush (born February 11, 1953), a Republican, is the forty-third and current Governor of Florida. ... HBS, as seen from across the Charles River. ...

Bush has said he gave up drinking after waking up with a hangover after his 40th birthday celebration: "I quit drinking in 1986 and haven't had a drop since then." He ascribed the change in part to a 1985 meeting with Reverend Billy Graham, after which he began serious Bible study, as well as to gentle but firm pressure from his wife, Laura. [3] [4] [5] Friends recall that Bush said nothing of his decision, even to Laura, until many weeks later when they realized that he had not had so much as a single beer in the interim. A hangover is the sum of unpleasant physical effects following heavy consumption of alcohol. ... This article is about the year. ... The Rev. ... Bible study may refer to: Biblical hermeneutics Grammatical-historical Higher criticism Bibliology Literature Christian eschatology Christian theology Biblical theology Systematic theology Categories: Bible ...

More recently, an Associated Press story from November, 2005, described Bush's drinking of "fermented mare's milk" during a photo opportunity in Mongolia.[6]

Rumors of, and speculation about, continued drinking

There is evidence that suggests Bush has drunk alcohol since 1986. An excerpt from a video shot at a 1992 wedding and shown on the Internet during the 2000 election showed Bush holding a glass with a yellowish liquid and drinking it in a manner consistent with an alcoholic beverage. [7] 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... This article is about the year 2000. ...

The September 21, 2005 issue of the tabloid National Enquirer cited unidentified "family sources" as saying that in the wake of the crisis caused by Hurricane Katrina, Bush had been caught by his wife drinking. The article also quoted Justin Frank, a Washington D.C. psychiatrist and author of Bush On The Couch: Inside The Mind Of The President, saying, "I do think that Bush is drinking again. Alcoholics who are not in any program, like the President, have a hard time when stress gets to be great."[8] September 21 is the 264th day of the year (265th in leap years). ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The National Enquirer is a national American supermarket tabloid. ... Lowest pressure 902 mbar (hPa) Damages $75 billion (2005 USD) (costliest Atlantic hurricane in history) Fatalities ≥1,836 total Areas affected Bahamas, South Florida, Cuba, Louisiana (especially Greater New Orleans), Mississippi, Alabama, Florida Panhandle, most of eastern North America Part of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season Hurricane Katrina was the... Justin Frank is the author of Bush on the Couch (Regan Books, 2004). ...

In June 2006, Yahoo! Health published a series of articles by the writer Patrick Moore that analyzed Bush's behavior as an alcoholic. In response to Bush's 1999 statement that he was not addicted to alcohol, Moore wrote, "Having observed the president's behavior in office, I wonder if he might be wrong. Perhaps not only the president, but also his administration, suffers from alcoholism. After all, arrogance and the inability to take responsibility for one's actions, classic alcoholic traits, have become trademarks of the Bush presidency." (http://health.yahoo.com/experts/theprinciples/90/george-bush-alcoholicpart-1)

"Dry drunk"

Despite Bush's statement that he was not an alcoholic, the question of whether Bush's behavior indicated alcoholism, as well as what that would mean for his current and future behavior, has been raised by Bush critics and analysts, most notably Katherine van Wormer, Professor of Social Work at the University of Northern Iowa and co-author of Addiction Treatment: A Strengths Perspective. In support of the hypothesis that Bush could have been clinically diagnosed as alcoholic, Van Wormer describes "years of binge drinking starting in college, at least one conviction for DUI in 1976 in Maine, and one arrest before that for a drunken episode involving theft of a Christmas wreath." Katherine van Wormer, a professor of social work and writer on addiction treatment, claimed in an Irish Times article on May 6, 2003 that U.S. president George W. Bush seems to display all the classic patterns of addictive thinking. ... The University of Northern Iowa, in Cedar Falls, Iowa, was founded in 1876, as the Iowa State Normal School. ...

In Addiction, Brain Damage and the President: "Dry Drunk" Syndrome and George W. Bush (Katherine van Wormer, CounterPunch, October 11, 2002), van Wormer goes on to speculate over whether Bush is an example of a "dry drunk", a slang term used by Alcoholics Anonymous and substance abuse counselors to describe a recovering alcoholic who is no longer drinking, but who has not confronted the dysfunctional basic cognitive patterns that led to addiction; they use the term because they feel that such an individual is someone "who is no longer drinking . . . but whose thinking is clouded," not truly "sober". In her opinion, Bush displays the telltale characteristics of grandiose behavior, rigid, judgmental outlook, impatience, childish and irresponsible behavior, irrational rationalisation, projection, and overreaction. [9]. She concluded that Bush displays "all the classic patterns of addictive thinking". More specifically, she argued that Bush exhibits "the tendency to go to extremes," a "kill or be killed mentality," incoherence while speaking away from script, impatience, irritability in the face of disagreement, and a rigid, judgmental outlook. She added that the 2003 invasion of Iraq was primarily a result of his relationship with his father: "the targeting of Iraq had become one man’s personal crusade." Dry drunk is a term used by members of Alcoholics Anonymous and other substance abuse counselors to describe the recovering alcoholic who is no longer drinking (i. ... Slang is the non-standard use of words in a language of a particular social group, and sometimes the creation of new words or importation of words from another language. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Substance abuse refers to the overindulgence in and dependence on a stimulant, depressant, chemical substance, herb (plant) or fungus leading to effects that are detrimental to the individuals physical health or mental health, or the welfare of others. ... Combatants Coalition Forces (United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Poland) Iraq Commanders Tommy Franks Saddam Hussein Strength 263,000 375,000 The 2003 invasion of Iraq, termed Operation Iraqi Freedom by the US administration, began on March 20. ...

Van Wormer's analysis, expressed in colloquial rather than clinical terms, drew on her own addiction treatment experience and writings, as she did not meet with Bush in person. Critics have responded to her assertions in a number of ways, usually citing her lack of formal medical training and specifically her lack of a medical degree and license to practice medicine. They also cite her lack of access to his private medical records and note that it is irresponsible in itself to offer third hand speculation over a mental or emotional diagnosis of someone who is not her patient, particularly in a public forum. Others point out that the Alcoholics Anonymous model of addiction and the need to pass through their complete "twelve step plan" to become truly sober is not universally accepted, many former substance abusers having overcome their problem apparently successfully without this process, so that the "dry drunk" concept may itself be mere self-serving rationalization.

Justin Frank, a clinical professor of psychiatry at The George Washington University Medical School, has incorporated similar, though apparently independent, observations into a book about Bush, Bush on the Couch ISBN 0060736704 [10]. Frank's book has been highly praised by other prominent psychiatrists and has found confirmation from a childhood friend of Bush and from Bush's disaffected former treasury secretary. [11]. Justin Frank is the author of Bush on the Couch (Regan Books, 2004). ... Psychiatry refers to the practice of medicine relating to the mind and behaviour, coming from Greek words meaning healer of the mind. It is a subspecialty of medical practice and is practiced in the United States by people holding the M.D. or D.O. degrees. ... The George Washington University (GWU) is a private university in Washington, D.C., founded in 1821 as The Columbian College. ... Bush on the Couch is the title of a book by psychoanalyst Justin Frank. ...

Frank's book also has its critics. Irwin Savodnik, a psychiatrist who teaches at the University of California, Los Angeles, described Frank's book as a "psychoanalytic hatchet job" and said that "there is not an ounce of psychoanalytic material in the entire book." [12] Once again, the code of the American Psychiatric Association, of which Frank is not a member, states that "it is unethical for a psychiatrist to offer a professional opinion unless he or she has conducted an examination and has been granted proper authorization for such a statement." [13] Although Frank had in the past written for Salon.com, the online magazine reviewed the book unfavorably, arguing that it included "dubious theories" and that Frank had failed in his avowed intention to distinguish his partisan opinions from his psychoanalytic evaluation of Bush's character. [14] The University of California, Los Angeles, popularly known as UCLA, is a public, coeducational university located in the residential area of Westwood within the city of Los Angeles. ... The American Psychiatric Association is a professional organization of psychiatrists whose members are American and international physicians who are trained in psychiatry. ... Screenshot of Salon. ...

Illegal drugs

Bush has said that he did not use illegal drugs at any time since 1974 ([15]), but he has declined to discuss whether he used drugs before 1974 ([16]).

A conversation between Bush and an old friend and author, Doug Wead, touched on the subject of use of illegal drugs. In the taped recordings of the conversation, Bush explained his refusal to answer questions about whether he had used marijuana at some time in his past. “I wouldn’t answer the marijuana questions,” Bush says. “You know why? Because I don’t want some little kid doing what I tried.” When Wead reminded Bush that the latter had publicly denied using cocaine, Bush replied, "I haven't denied anything." Doug Wead Doug Wead was a Special Assistant to former U.S. President George H. W. Bush, and is the author of over twenty books, including the New York Times best-seller, All the Presidents’ Children: Triumph and Tragedy in the Lives of the First Families. ... Species Cannabis indica Cannabis ruderalis Cannabis sativa Cannabis is a genus of flowering plant that includes one or more species. ...

In a biography of Bush, Fortunate Son (ISBN 1887128840), James Hatfield investigated claims that Bush had been arrested for cocaine possession and that he had the record expunged; Hatfield said he found corroboration from three people close to the Bush family. Bush called Hatfield's book "totally ridiculous" but declined to discuss whether he had used drugs before 1974. [17]. Critics have pointed out the sources for the book are unnamed and the facts uncorroborated. Four days after its publication the book's publisher, St. Martin's Press, discovered that Hatfield had been previously convicted of attempted murder and spent five years in jail. When faced with the allegations Hatfield initially denied them but later admitted they were true. St. Martin's recalled the book and mothballed others. Hatfield pointed out that, before the Bush campaign brought pressure to bear, St. Martin's had stated that the book had been "carefully fact-checked and scrutinized by lawyers". ([18]) The book was later republished by another publisher shortly before Hatfield died of a drug overdose in an act of suicide. [19] [20] Fortunate Son can refer to several things: Fortunate Son (song), a song originally performed by Creedence Clearwater Revival on their album Willy and the Poor Boys Fortunate Son (Hatfield), a controversial biography of George W. Bush by James Hatfield Fortunate Son (Puller), a Pulitzer Prize-winning autobiography by Lewis Puller... James Howard Hatfield (January 7, 1958 - July 18, 2001) was an American author. ... Headquartered in the legendary Flatiron Building in New York City, St. ...

In February 2004, Eric Boehlert in Salon magazine claimed that Bush's cessation of flying in April, 1972 and his subsequent refusal to take a physical exam came at the same time the Air Force announced its Medical Service Drug Abuse Testing Program, which was officially launched April 21. Boehlert said "according to Maj. Jeff Washburn, the chief of the National Guard's substance abuse program, a random drug-testing program was born out of that regulation and administered to guardsmen such as Bush. The random tests were unrelated to the scheduled annual physical exams, such as the one that Bush failed to take in 1972, a failure that resulted in his grounding." Boehlert remarks that the drug testing took years to implement, but "as of April 1972, Air National guardsmen knew random drug testing was going to be implemented". [21] Screenshot of Salon. ...

In April 1972 Bush made his last flight. He then refused to take his required annual physical and was subsequently grounded. In May 1972, Bush left for Alabama and left the Guard. He showed up for no drills for the next five months, and, contrary to White House statements, he never made up these missed drills. Bush returned to Texas in late 1972, but in May 1973 his superior officers in Houston refused to rate Bush, saying he "has not been observed at this unit" for the past 12 months. However, Official payroll records show that Bush was getting paid for attending drills during this period. Bush is credited for the wrong kind of attendance on some dates, he's given the wrong number of points for others, and weekday duty is frequently confused with weekend duty. Bush's attendance still didn't meet minimum National Guard standards. In October 1973 Bush was discharged from the Texas ANG and moved to Boston to attend Harvard Business School. Although the Bush campaign said in 1999 that Bush transferred to a unit in Boston to finish up his service, they now admit that isn't true. Bush never signed up with a unit in Boston and never again attended drills. [22]

External links

• John Newcombe explaining his friendship with George W. Bush and the night of the DUI charge
• George W. Bush: A legacy reclaimed - Boston Globe article by Mary Leonard, January 2000.
• Bush acknowledges 1976 DUI charge - CNN story, November 2000.
• Doofy Dubya: Only in America - Bush wedding video from 1992, as hosted by The Smoking Gun.
• Bush's booze crisis - The National Enquirer, September 2005.
• Bush avoids camel spit - AP story on Bush's drinking fermented mare's milk in Mongolia, November 2005.
• Bush's drinking and drug use must be investigated - Capitol Hill Blue, January 2006.
• Dr. Zebra's President George W. Bush: Health and Medical History page.