Being responsible

We are currently in the height of the festive season and even though we are in the midst of a pandemic, some persons are behaving as if they could not be bothered at all. There are daily reports of bar owners and patrons being charged for breaching the COVID-19 regulations. Just recently, it was reported that the police were forced to break up a party with about 300 persons at around 5am on the West Coast of Demerara. Persons are still being seen consuming alcohol in large groups openly on the roadways and other areas. And if that were not enough some persons even proceed to drive to their destinations after they are in a drunken state.
While we expect that individuals would be involved in merry-making, it is our hope that they do so in a responsible manner. The authorities have pleaded with citizens to limit their social gatherings to private homes involving family members and close relatives to reduce the spread of the virus.
In addition to taking the precautions to guard against the coronavirus, it is also an opportune time to remind persons of the need to be cognisant of the extremely harmful effects of alcohol on persons. Like in everything else, it is always wise for one to exercise good judgment when he/she is indulging since there can be serious consequences for behaving irresponsibly.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), alcohol kills a whopping three million people worldwide each year — more than AIDS, violence and road accidents combined. WHO’s global status report on alcohol and health 2018 presents a comprehensive picture of alcohol consumption and the disease burden attributable to alcohol worldwide. The alcohol death rate for Guyana is 5.95 per 100,000 (globally ranked 70).
The negative effects of drinking too much alcohol can be divided into short term and long term. The short-term effects of drinking too much alcohol are loss of judgment, loss of coordination, blurred vision, slurring of speech, and loss of balance. These negative effects can cause one to make bad decisions while being under the influence. The long-term effects include loss of brain cells, liver failure, stomach ulcers, high blood pressure, and certain types of cancer, epilepsy, nerve damage, and heart failure. If the abuse of alcohol does not cause immediate problems, then excessive use over a period of time can cause major problems down the line.
Further, alcoholism contributes to a range of social problems, for example; there has been an increase in cases of domestic and other forms of violence in our society. Official statistics show that one in four Guyanese women have been physically abused in a relationship. In addition, alcoholism contributes to suicide which has been, and continues to be, a major social problem in Guyana. Official statistics show that suicide deaths average between 150 and 200 annually.
Also, one cannot ignore the countless number of road deaths in recent years. The newspapers’ pages are splashed almost daily with reports of fatalities and injuries due to reckless and irresponsible behaviour of motorists, some of this is due to driving under the influence of alcohol.
The effects of alcohol abuse are well known. Citizens should, therefore, be encouraged to make better judgment in every situation in the interest of one’s self, family and community. While it is not our intention to place the blame for all our problems on alcohol, one cannot dispute the fact it is indeed a contributory factor to some of the social ills we face in our country today.
The holiday period is here and we again urge all stakeholders to redouble their efforts and step up the campaign to spread more awareness and education about the dangers of alcohol abuse. The message to be responsible is even more needed now, considering the world is facing a tough battle against the COVID-19 pandemic.
While the Government must play a crucial role in designing the relevant programmes and policies and putting in place the necessary legislative framework aimed at addressing the harmful use of alcohol, this burden must also be shared by other stakeholders too; such as religious groups, the Private Sector and other Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs).