Reduce alcohol abuse, Lyonchhen urges local leaders

Pemagatshel: The closing remarks of prime minister during the 10th plan mid-term review meeting in Pemagatshel was that there is a serious need to reduce consumption of alcohol in the dzongkhag. He asked the dzongkhag and gewog leaders to do away with alcoholic consumption during tshechus, rimdos, funeral rites and other public gatherings.

“It is both sad and disgusting to see alcohol freely served and accepted in an atmosphere which requires immense dignity and propriety such as bereavement,” Lyonchhen said. He urged local leaders to devise ways to deal with the growing menace of alcoholism.

“Yes, alcohol, which is deeply embedded in our society is a serious problem, and based on what Lyonchhen said during the meeting, the issue will be discussed in the forthcoming Dzongkhag Yargye Tshogdu (DYT) and a resolution will be adopted,” said the DYT chairperson and Dungmin Gup Tashi Phuntsho.

“Given the kind of response generated during informal discussions in the gewogs, people are now more receptive to the idea of doing away with alcoholic servings in public gatherings. We will never be able to ban it completely in the confines of homes but we would have made a good beginning if we are able to ban it in public gatherings and religious events.”

This would also help in ensuring food security in the villages where substantial proportions of food grains are used for alcohol production. Tashi Phuntsho estimates that as much as 66 percent of grains produced in the villages is used for alcohol production. Alcohol-related disputes are a major issue at the gewog level.

Alcohol abuse is one of the major causes of non-communicable diseases in the country where 27 percent of all inpatient attendance and 58 percent of all inpatient mortality in the hospitals are alcohol-related. Apart from the home-brewed alcohol, there are more than 3,000 licensed bars in the country selling industrial alcohol. This translates into roughly one bar for every 250 citizens.

WHO estimates that about four percent of all deaths or around 2.5 million deaths worldwide are attributed to alcohol each year. Harmful use of alcohol is now the third leading risk factor for disease, according to Shekhar Saxena, WHO’s director for non-communicable diseases.

According to National Statistics Bureau (NSB), alcohol liver disease was the second highest cause of indoor hospital mortality with 90 deaths in 2008 in Bhutan. Last year alone, there were five deaths in Pemagatshel hospital from alcohol-related diseases. The hospital also treated 47 others suffering from alcohol-related diseases, a hospital source revealed.

Researchers say that Bhutan has perhaps one of the highest per capita alcohol consumption in the developing world. It is estimated that there are close to 10 bottles (7.5 litres) of alcohol available for every man, woman and child in Bhutan in a year.

A prevalence study in the country has shown that as much as 50 percent of the population drink. It is higher in the east with 58 percent and nearly 20 percent drink regularly with an average of five bottles (3.75 litres) a week. This constitutes a whopping 195 litres in a year. In Moldova, which is considered world’s most bibulous country, on average, every person consumes 18 litres of alcohol in a year.

British researchers say that alcohol is more dangerous than drugs like heroin and crack cocaine damaging nearly all vital organ system when drunk in excess, and it is the leading cause of crime. Experts suggest that, despite the harm, it would be impractical and incorrect to outlaw alcohol. The only way to deal with alcohol is by taxing it heavily and targeting problem drinkers. A review of 112 studies found that when taxes go up, drinking goes down.

However, many people feel that since alcohol causes more harm than tobacco, there is a serious need to deal with alcohol issues. The problems do not lie with home-brewed alcoholic drinks alone. Factory-produced alcoholic drinks are rampantly available even in small shops in the villages which need to be curbed first.

By Gyembo Namgyal

6 Responses to “Reduce alcohol abuse, Lyonchhen urges local leaders”

1. sangden says:

   March 15, 2011 at 6:28 pm

   its really great that alcohol will be banned in puplic places. personally i feel proud that i stay away from it even at times of celebrations, i celebrate everything in sense!!!

   Reply
2. Stan Starr says:

   March 17, 2011 at 10:57 am

   It’s difficult to solve this problem by treating the effect (like an increase in taxes). Drinking alcohol excessively is a symptom of deeper underlying personal misery and suffering. Solutions that deal with the issue of alcoholism at causal level are the answer to the malady, but usually require a clear admission that there is a problem to begin with by the person trapped in a veil of alcohol induced reality.

   Not impossible, but highly unlikely; unless the pain of sobriety is considered less burdensome than the pain of staying intoxicated.

   Reply
3. sangay says:

   March 17, 2011 at 8:15 pm

   it is very good to band the alcohol mostly in public places.

   Reply
4. Jaytshen says:

   March 18, 2011 at 4:07 am

   The man swigging ara directly from the palang exactly represents a section of Bhutanese people who have not been taught the cultural disciples by their parents or teachers or miserably failed to learn the way of living. They are the trouble makers in the society.

   Reply
5. Drukgyel says:

   March 18, 2011 at 3:05 pm

   Both alcohol and tobacoo are not good in our religion. Alcoholism must be also jailed like tobacoo abusers.

   Reply
6. bangchang says:

   March 21, 2011 at 1:39 pm

   lyonchen should not urged the people to completely go away with the tradition by banning the offering the what so called ara…

   Reply