A bitter hangover on alcohol abuse

With the festive season approaching, it is certain that, despite the general lack of spending money in our economy, booze will be high on the priority celebration purchase list for many consumers.

And women and children will feel the brunt of alcohol-fuelled abuse, not to mention hospital emergency wards being filled with the victims of drunken violence and drunken driving.

We agree with medical and social experts who are asking why the government devotes so much time to trying to curb tobacco consumption while doing next to nothing about alcohol which, arguably, causes far greater harm to society in general … and not just in direct health-related costs.

ALSO READ: Government must keep same energy against alcohol as they have for tobacco

The Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill is currently before parliament – but where is a similar one for booze? The prospects of one don’t seem good, given that a previous attempt to restrict advertising for alcohol disappeared after vehement opposition from alcohol companies, advertising agencies and the media.

Restricting the sale of booze to certain hours and enforcing rules on not selling to youngsters will not kill our alcohol industry. But, our reluctance to curb excessive alcohol consumption is going to leave us with a bitter social and medical hangover.