Alcohol A Worldwide Issue

The extreme use of alcohol is becoming a problem on a global scale, resulting in many communal problems upsetting all walks of life. In northern Ireland the Chief Medical Officer – Dr Michael McBride has identified the widespread use of alcohol amongst the younger generation. In Northern Ireland children as young as 11 are drinking and by the age of 16 it is thought four out of five teenagers will have had an alcoholic drink in some form or other. Dr McBride hints that the basis behind so many young people are turning to drink in Northern Ireland is to add to their social and sexual confidence and called on better awareness of the damage that alcohol can do.

Regrettably excessive consumption of alcohol among teenagers is having a harmful impact on communities across Northern Ireland especially within urban areas. Within 2 years child crime has grown by around 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 offences have grown by as much as a third.

In Northern Ireland The Garda youth diversion programme has been put in place to reduce 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 saying sorry 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 measures to tackle the social impact of alcohol-related incidents.

In recent years millions have been invested on an annual basis by drink manufacturers in Kenya on measures to combat alcohol abuse, underage drinking and drink driving. Purchases of alcoholic beverages have shot up and these companies have invested a lot in campaigns to try and reduce the sometimes negative effect. Advertising, warnings on bottle labels and bartender training are just some of the ideas that have been implemented.

The National Alcohol Beverages Association of Kenya (Nabak) working with The Pubs Entertainment Restaurants Association of Kenya (Perak) have been directing the drinking habits of Kenyans by encouraging alcohol selling outlets to promote sensible drinking. The results have 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 initiated restrictions in its Northern Territory, and in some towns photo identification must be produced when purchasing alcoholic drinks. These new procedures have not pleased everyone and some publicans have been subject to harassment, 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 growing social problems linked with alcohol.

Article Source: http://www.orbitaloc.com/

Lucy is a freelance journalist writing about The Drink Shop at eComparison.

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