With more than 3 million deaths
each year linked to alcohol consumption, alcohol has been named the most
dangerous drug on the market.
Despite the popular belief that illicit recreational drugs
such as heroin and crack cocaine cause the most harm to society — which is
fuelled in part by the war on drugs - a study indicates that alcohol
actually surpasses all others as the most dangerous drug. It is no
surprise, as the negative effects of alcohol are well-documented. However, they
are easily ignored and significantly downplayed.
Researchers reviewed several recreational drugs and gave
them each a score based on the harm they caused to users and the harm caused to
others. According to their findings the most harmful drugs to users were
heroin, crack cocaine, and methamphetamine. The drugs that caused the most harm
to others were alcohol, heroin, and crack cocaine.
When the two part scores were combined alcohol came out on
top as causing significantly more harm in society overall. The researchers
argue that if the level of harm is taken seriously into account in the
classification of drugs, alcohol should be treated as a class ‘A’ drug.
Of course, critics of the research assert that if heroin and
crack cocaine were legal and there was greater widespread use, these drugs
would prove to be more dangerous than alcohol. However, the reality is that the
current levels of alcohol abuse cause the most harm to society, yet the
dangerous effects of alcohol use are rarely given the spotlight.
This means that more and more research is pointing to the
fact that the effects of alcohol are more harmful than we like to acknowledge.
Effects of Alcohol Abuse: Mortality,
Disease and Violence
When you look at the statistics, declaring alcohol as the
most dangerous drug does not seem too far-fetched. Alcohol kills more people
worldwide than HIV, AIDS, violence and tuberculosis combined — plus alcohol use
is also linked to the latter conditions. According to the World Health
Organisation's most recent report, the harmful use of alcohol causes 3.3
million deaths each year worldwide. The mortality rate in young people due to
alcohol use is especially high with 25% of all deaths amongst people aged 20-39
attributed to alcohol. For teens aged 15-24 alcohol is a factor in all three
leading causes of death: accidents, homicides, and suicides.
Over half of all the children who die in alcohol-related
traffic accidents were riding in the car with an alcohol-impaired driver.
Alcohol impaired driving accounts for 31% of motor vehicle deaths, while other
drugs such as cocaine and marijuana are implicated in around 18% of deaths.
And, these other drugs are often used in combination with alcohol.
Beyond mortality, alcohol affects the day to day lives of
many through disease and injury. Alcoholism is one of the most well-known
detrimental effects of alcohol abuse, but the media does little to acknowledge
the realities faced by those addicted to alcohol.
Alcohol advertisements encourage drinking
behaviours that lead to dependence such as daily drinking, binge drinking,
and also proliferate the idea that alcohol is a requirement for a good time.
For those who are susceptible to, or already suffering from addiction this type
of marketing is dangerous and also undermines their experience while feeding
the denial that they do not have a problem.
Alcohol misuse can also lead to more than 200 diseases and
cause injuries resulting in disability, in addition to alcohol dependence. For
those struggling with alcohol addiction, the disease not only impacts their own
health — as it could cause liver cirrhosis, some forms of cancer and
cardiovascular diseases, amongst many other physical and mental health problems
— but the effects of alcohol dependence reach much further than the individual
and into their families and the public as well.
Addiction is a family disease and will impact all
members of the family. It can cause a breakdown in relationships, depression,
anxiety, shame, and guilt within families. Alcohol use is also a factor in
the majority of domestic violence cases. The violent effects of alcohol
misuse extend beyond the family as well.
Worldover, as many as half of all violent
crimes involve alcohol as a factor. Further, alcohol is implicated in
public violence, domestic violence including child and elder abuse, sexual
assault, and self-directed violence including committing suicide.
What can be done to curb the Effects
of Alcohol?
As alcohol is the widest used and abused substance, which
currently contributes to the greatest amount of individual and societal harm, a
multi-pronged campaign would be the best. The approach should lead with
education about the effects of addiction and the serious enforcement of an
alcohol policy and regulation of alcohol. The media's portrayal of alcohol use
and abuse can also be used to reduce the harm of alcohol consumption on society.
Of course, alcohol use is also a culturally engrained
pastime around the world, and many people will use alcohol occasionally and
responsibly without experiencing any negative consequences. However, for many
others, alcohol contributes to significant problems in their life — providing
leading and effective treatment options, like Shafa Home’s drug and
alcohol rehab in Delhi and Kotdwar, India, should also be a crucial part of
this campaign to minimise these harmful effects.
If you or a loved one is struggling with alcohol addiction,
you must know, recovery is possible and addiction treatment is the first step
in reversing the negative effects of alcohol in your life.
Shafa Home is country’s premier organization for treatment of
alcohol/drug problems, de-addiction, rehabilitation, counseling, treatment for
females, nasha mukti kendra , psychiatric disorders and secondary addictions
like gambling, internet etc.
We encourage you to
contact one of our counsellors today if you are concerned about Alcohol
addiction.
No comments:
Post a Comment