Does Needham have an alcohol problem?

[mdovell]

Well look at the number of alcohol licenses in town..heck try any town. Then ask yourself if each one is a place that people go out of the way to go to. I grew up on the south short (29 years to the date actually). There was probably a bar for every 3,000 people. If NYC was factored it would be one for every 1,300 people. So yeah suburban areas drink more, ALOT more or at least away from home.

Bars are money makers and towns are much more likely to approve them then some other private business. I know of selectboard members that literally would be at them after hours like a frat party after a football game.

You also have to figure the lack of rehabs and public transit can contribute to this. Add in a lack of public lighting and sidewalks and then deaths really start to go up. You hardly ever hear of drunk driving in urban areas due to this. Yes there's still drinking but it's hard to get behind the wheel if they don't have a car to begin with and hardly drive. then again ubur and lyft access depend on the population size. Pittsfield hardly has any

[ben young]

Well now it looks like the town is out of the running when out of staters are looking for a nice expensive place to llive and walk the matching black & white matching Labs.