Letter to BS: India's per capita alcohol consumption doubles in 11 years

It is a significant, yet worrying, finding by the World Health Organisation that per capita alcohol consumption in India has more than doubled between 2005 and 2016. The increase in alcohol intake from 2.4 litres in 2005 to 5.7 in 2016 paints a dangerous picture and the situation may have become worse in 2018.

Also, the actual quantity of alcohol consumed cannot be estimated as much of the drinking goes unrecorded. The queues before the liquor outlets and the bars show the extent of craving for alcohol in this country. The surge in drinking levels has to be viewed seriously since it has a bearing on health and wellbeing. The cost of drinking in terms of disabilities, diseases and deaths is too high for us to be unconcerned about it. It is quite peculiar that people drink on both joyous and sad occasions. But that escape is temporary.

The consumption of cheap, illicit concoctions sometimes results in tragedies that take many lives. Governments should attach greater importance to health than to the revenues from alcohol taxation and the political funding by liquor barons. Combating liquor consumption should become a priority so that the hard brew does not claim lives.
 

G David Milton  Maruthancode

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