India is now going to rise the taxes and wants to tighten the market regulations against the alcoholic products. As the abuse of alcohol is being increased, an accepted decision has been taken against the abuse of alcohol, by the 193 member states of the World Health Organization at world Health assembly.
Every year 2.5 million people including 3.2 lakh people of the age group 15 to 29 years are being killed because of the abuse of alcohol as said by the WHO. It estimated that 2 billion consumers of alcohol are there world wide.
20% to 30% of cases of cancer, diseases of liver, chest, and even throat can be observed by the consumption of alcohol. The death rate and disabilities rate due to alcohol abuse and even the death rates due to smoking or alcohol are same as mentioned in the medical journal ‘Lancet’. It also reported that the risk of occurrence of 60 different diseases has been occurred because of alcohol and the global burden of 4% is due to alcohol.
Worries regarding alcohol consumption have been increasing in India. Compared to the past decade, the average age of alcohol consumption fell down by 9 years. The first sip of alcohol is taken at the age of 19 by the Indians when compared to 28 in 1990s.
The per capita consumption of the alcohol is 4 litres per year of an adult and at present 62.5 million people are the present alcohol abusers. The ratio of alcohol consumption by men and women is 6:1. Generally 40% of the road crashes occur at night in India and one third of the crashes occur due to drunk driving.
According to strategy drawn by the WHO there will be increase in the taxes of the alcohol, decrease in the blood alcohol test limits for the drivers and only particular opening hours for bars and liquor stores.
Source: TOI