Should Americans who misuse alcohol lose the “license to drink”? Here’s how it could work.

Unlike drug courts and other forms of coerced addiction treatment, this program does not require participants to enter a treatment program or attend self-help group meetings. There’s nothing preventing them from doing so, but 24/7 Sobriety requires only that they not use alcohol. In some places, participants may also be tested for other drugs to make sure they are not simply switching substances.
That said, one could imagine a variation where 24/7 Sobriety is used to help determine whether someone repeatedly convicted for alcohol-involved crimes needs additional services: For example, those who violate the program three times could be ordered to complete a substance use treatment program.
Other alternatives include using a sanction other than jail or incorporating positive incentives for compliance. Indeed, there is a wealth of research supporting “contingency management,” which provides small rewards (such as a movie pass or small gift certificate) to those who go a certain amount of time without a positive drug test. It’s possible 24/7 Sobriety might achieve even better outcomes if it included a carrot as well as a stick.