THE VOICE

Alcohol is a widely used substance for both science and in technology.
Its name comes from an Arabic word al-kuhl meaning " a powder for painting the eyes". The term was later applied to all compounds that contain alcoholic spirits. Alcohol it’s the harmless glass of sherry your Aunty Doris down once a year at Christmas time. It is also one of the world’s most dangerous drugs, responsible for more depths, health and social problems worldwide than any illegal drugs including heroine and cocaine.

In moderation, alcohol can induce a feeling of well-being, protect against coronary heart disease and cause little or no ill effects. In excess, it rips families apart, destroys careers, fuels violent crime and leaves its victims diseased and destitute.

With industralisation and consequent change of the socio-economic structure of our country, alcoholism or addiction to alcohol has started to cast an evil shadow over our society. Drinking of hard liquor had traditionally been associated with the tribals – who consumed their homemade brew generally on festive occasions. From there it came to the industrial townships and coalfields. Now the malaise has gradually spread its  tentacles to the small towns and the cities all over the country. Its victims are people from all walks of life – professionals, businessmen, industrial workers, government servants, farmers and even students. According to a WHO report, an estimated three million, i.e. one out of every twenty five Indian is an alcohol addict.

The traditional taboo against liquor is rapidly vanishing and the average Indian is drinking more than over before. More and more homes now serve hard liquor to their guests. Dry parties are now considered old fashioned. Traditional festivals are now often an excuse to go on a drinking spree. Salesman and businessmen prefer to do business over lunch inevitably followed by drinks. Young people, even girls consider drinking to be fashionable. Bars, once considered to be the exclusive haunt of alcoholics, are now gaining increasing acceptance among common people. It seems we are fast becoming a society of alcoholics.

The Cinema has played a major role in popularizing the cult of alcoholism amongst its viewers. The tragic hero, drowning his sorrows in a bottle of wine has been romantically glamourized in too many films. The escapism has struck in the mind of the audience. The net result has been that many people, unable to face the harsh realities of life, have hit the bottle as a source of salvation from tension and frustration. Emulating the silver screen hero has been a temptation too difficult for them to resist.

Alcohol causes problems not only to the user/drinker but also to their spouses, children, and other family members.

Problem drinking can change the roles played by family members in relation to one another and the relationships that surround them. As a family member develops this problem, the drinker may fail to perform his or her functions as a breadwinner, to the support their children or to complete chores. These things get done by another person, often times, the spouse. However, a child may be forced to take on adult roles and responsibilities depriving them of their childhood. The child, may, (like the non-drinking spouse) feel that he or she is to blame for the problems the family. The drinker's behavior usually becomes unpredictable and disruptive making it difficult for the family to plan activities in advance or to stick to routines. The unpredictable, disruptive behavior of the drinker maybe embarrassing to them. The family may have a difficult time explaining to others the real reasons for what is happening in the family setting and out of the family setting.

Domestic violence and alcohol are often associated. Drinking is not necessary for domestic violence to occur; however, many abusers are either alcoholics or under the influence of alcohol at the time of the abuse.

The child may experience various forms of neglect and feel abandoned by both parents. Alcohol problems vary in nature and in severity. Therefore, how badly a child is affected by the problems depend on the child's age. A child under five is more vulnerable to poor or lack of physical care and nurturance; on the other hand, the older child may be more susceptible to psychological damage. Of course the younger child can also suffer from psychological damage.

In low-income countries, like India the prevalence of alcohol and tobacco use is higher among the poor, which increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, liver disease, and injuries among the poor relative to the better off. There is also a strong association between use of tobacco and alcohol, and impoverishment through borrowing and distress selling of assets due to costs of hospitalization.

It is strange the though “prohibition’ has been enshrined in the directive principles in our constitution, the states have been extremely relax in enforcing it. New licenses are being issued one after the other by the central government to set up breweries all over India . Consumption has almost doubled over the years. New brands of liquor are flooding the market, all with official patronage. The annual toll on life has also increased alarmingly. Every now and then, newspapers carry reports of gruesome deaths caused by consumption of illicit, privately brewed liquor. Hundreds of deaths go unreported. In major hospitals in the cities, alcoholics now constitute 30 to 40 % of the patients of psychiatric wards.

In practice, alcohol policy devolved to individual states to formulate their own regulations and levy their own taxes. Most states derive 15-20% of their revenue from taxation on alcohol, which is the second largest source of the states’ exchequers after sales tax. This has created an “ambivalent” drinking culture – neither dry nor wet. Alcohol use attracts social opprobrium at the same time that governments and alcohol manufacturers promote alcohol sales in pursuit of profit. In several states renewal of retail licences are contingent on meeting stiff sales quotas which are revised upwardly from time to time.

How far the law for prohibition of liquor has been successful is yet not clear. However my point is that if law is made and it is not enforced and respected to all intents and purpose what is the use of framing such laws? We have seen many times that Government officials especially the Excise Department raiding various unlicensed bars in Shillong but will these raids solve the problem. Today they raid and the next day the business starts afresh. Can these raids help in prohibiting alcohol consumption in our country? Raid is one of the commendable jobs the department carries out but why the answer is to curb the social evils. If the answer is this then why can’t we stop the licensed bars in shillong. Because they too are contributing to the social evils.

By

Subash Deb
(This article was also published in The Shillong Times's Sunday Edition)