Alcoholism
- Alcoholism is a medical condition that is caused by regularly drinking a large amount of alcohol and not being able to stop.
- The per capita alcohol consumption in India increased two folds between 2005 and 2016, according to the Global status report on alcohol and health 2018 released by the World Health Organization (WHO)
- Indians consumed 2.4 liters of alcohol in 2005, which increased to 4.3 liters in 2010 and scaled up to 5.7 liters in 2016, the report said.
Why does India have high levels of alcohol consumption?
- More people are earning sufficient income to purchase it. This has outpaced the efforts to reduce consumption.
- Alcohol is becoming increasingly affordable.
- Increased urbanisation and an expanding middle class are also contributors.
- Social pressures are a major contributor to the high prevalence of alcohol consumption in India. Many social activities are centred on alcohol
- Political dependence on the revenue generated by the industry- especially among the states. This was evidenced by how states decided to reopen liquor shops despite a fast growing pandemic to improve their revenues.
- The ‘attractions of alcohol consumption’ via movies and other TV programs.
- Aggressive marketing by the alcohol industry.
- Lax regulation of the industry.
- Low awareness about the negative impacts of alcohol on health.
The measures taken by government to reduce alcoholism in India?
- Article 47 of the Directive Principles of State Policy states that “the State shall endeavour to bring about prohibition of the consumption except for medicinal purposes of intoxicating drinks and of drugs which are injurious to health”
- Several states have imposed prohibition on alcohol.
- Eg. Gujarat, Bihar, Manipur and Nagaland. Complete alcohol ban is also in force in the UT of Lakshadweep.
- States have imposed a legal drinking age in their jurisdiction. In some states it is 18 years, while in others it is 21 years and in yet others it is 25 years.
- Under the Motor Vehicles Act, any person found driving with a blood alcohol content of over 0.03% (drunken driving) is penalized. Punishment may even entail a prison term of up to 4 years.
- Advertisement of alcoholic beverages on television is banned in India.
- A toll-free helpline was set by the centre in 2015 to assist people with regards to substance dependence.
- In 2016, the Supreme Court banned the sale of liquor within 500 m of any national or state highway.
- The government has set a National Target to achieve a 10% reduction in prevalence of alcohol use by 2025.
- On International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, the centre launched the ‘Nasha Mukt Bharat’ campaign to curb alcoholism and drug abuse in India.
- India has an international obligation to curb alcoholism as it is signatory to the UN Conventions- Convention on Psychotropic Substances, 1971 and Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, 1988.