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Alcohol – The International Problem
By Mike Del Maggio
The excessive consumption of alcohol is becoming a problem on a global scale, resulting in a variety of communal problems upsetting all walks of life. In northern Ireland the Chief Medical Officer – Dr Michael McBride has identified the widespread use of alcohol amid the younger generation. In Northern Ireland children as young as 11 are drinking and by the age of 16 it is believed four out of five teenagers will have had an alcoholic drink in some form or other. Dr McBride believes that the reason so many young people are turning to drink in Northern Ireland is to enhance their social and sexual confidence and called on higher awareness of the damage that alcohol can do.
Unfortunately extreme consumption of alcohol amid teenagers is having a harmful impact on communities across Northern Ireland chiefly within urban areas. In 2 years child crime has increased by approximately 20% mainly fueled by alcoholic consumption among children as young as seven. In contrast, burglary, vehicle crime and criminal damage have seen little or no rise while alcohol-related offenses have grown by as much as a third.
In Northern Ireland The Garda youth diversion programme has been put in place to lower this anti social behavior with some positive results. Children suspected of crimes under this system are given the opportunity to redeem themselves by compensating or apologizing to victims. Around 60-70% of the children have not re-offended within the first year after being accepted into this venture.
Obviously these problems are not limited to Northern Ireland and across the globe countries are taking their own steps to tackle the social impact of alcohol-related incidents.
In recent years millions have been invested on an annual basis by drink companies in Kenya on measures to battle alcohol abuse, underage drinking and drink driving. Sales in of alcoholic beverages have rocketed and these companies have invested a lot in campaigns to try and decrease the sometimes negative impact. Advertising, warnings on bottle labels and bartender training are just some of the ideas that have been applied.
The National Alcohol Beverages Association of Kenya (Nabak) working in conjunction with The Pubs Entertainment Restaurants Association of Kenya (Perak) have been directing the drinking habits of Kenyans by persuading alcohol selling outlets to encourage sensible drinking. The result has been very positive seeing in a major downward trend in underage drinking as a result of recent campaigns.
Other countries are using other techniques in their fight to control alcohol abuse. Australia has brought in restrictions in its Northern Territory, and in some towns photo identification must be shown when buying alcoholic drinks. These new measures have not pleased everyone and some publicans have been subject to insults, but on the whole the general consensus amongst retailers is that this is a decisive step in the right direction in the fight against the rising social problems associated with alcohol.
mike is a freelance journalist writing about The Drink Shop at eComparison.
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