By Stabroek News

Copyright stabroeknews

A new study published online on September 23 in “BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine” has confirmed what many have long suspected but resisted acknowledging: there is no safe level of alcohol consumption. Even light or moderate drinking, long believed to be harmless and at one point touted as beneficial, may increase the risk of dementia, the study said. The findings, based on genetic and observational data from millions of participants, are the most comprehensive to date.

Globally, alcohol is already responsible for 2.6 million deaths each year, nearly one in every 20 lives lost. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has identified it as the leading cause of death and poor health among people aged 25 to 49. In 2019 alone, alcohol use was linked to 474,000 deaths from cardiovascular diseases and 401,000 deaths from cancer. It is an established carcinogen, a driver of road crashes, violence, and suicide.

The new dementia findings add to what was already alarming. According to the study, a three-times-higher increase in the number of drinks consumed weekly was shown to raise dementia risk by 15 percent. This revelation should be sobering news for the entire world. But how will we react?

For a small country like Guyana, already struggling with limited mental health resources, this should be a wake-up call. Dementia care is costly, physically and emotionally draining, and requires trained caregivers that are practically non-existent in this country. Preventing dementia through reducing alcohol consumption is one of the most powerful and cost-effective interventions that could be made here. The question is, do our leaders have the intestinal fortitude to make a decision that will, initially at least, be widely unpopular?

It is well known that Guyana and Guyanese have a long and tangled history with alcohol. Guyana is a rum-producing nation and as a result alcohol is big business. There is also a pride among Guyanese, even some who do not drink, in the fact that local distilleries produce world prize-winning spirits. Then, if one takes it from a cultural standpoint, rum is almost synonymous with Guyanese identity.

Alcohol flows freely at christenings, weddings, parties, wakes, and funerals. It has become the backdrop of nearly every celebration day: Amerindian Heritage, Mashramani, Easter, Christmas, Old Year’s Day, New Year’s Day, Labour Day and Boxing Day. The only notable exceptions appear to be Muslim religious holidays, because on Hindu holidays religious leaders have to issue reminders every year that no alcohol is allowed. In addition, alcohol brands sponsor sport events including some involving youth players and fans.

For a country with a small population, there is a stunning number of bars, rum shops and other venues where spirits are sold. Most of them are licensed, but there are establishments, particularly in mining and hinterland communities, where sales are conducted illicitly. This highlights the fact that alcohol is part of our social fabric, almost a marker of belonging. But this normalisation has devastating costs that are too often ignored.

One only has to take in the local news to realise the extent of the problem. The stories constantly include alcohol-fueled violence, drunk-driving road crashes, family breakdowns, and lives cut short. In 2023, the Guyana Police Force reported a shocking 171 road deaths by early October, double the number for all of 2022. Speeding and drunk driving were identified as major causes, with Region Three recording the highest number of fatal accidents linked to alcohol. The Ministry of Home Affairs has since introduced stiffer penalties under the Motor Vehicle and Road Traffic (Amendment) Act, but enforcement remains weak, and bar owners are not held accountable for serving patrons who later take the wheel drunk.

Further, police records and media reports regularly cite alcohol consumption as a factor in violent crimes, including femicides and murder-suicides. Alcohol is not the only cause of such tragedies, but it is often the accelerant. What makes this more alarming is the generational toll. Surveys have found that over 30 percent of Guyanese adolescents occasionally consume alcohol, and many reported having their first drink before the age of 14. Early exposure normalises drinking as a social rite of passage and sets the stage for lifelong harmful use.

WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala, in remarks at the United Nations last week, urged countries to show bold political will, to introduce marketing restrictions, taxation, and availability controls on alcohol. This is not the first time such a call has been made, but the alcohol industry, which wields enormous influence, often frames regulation as an attack on culture or personal freedom. The truth is, however, that alcohol’s harms extend far beyond individual choice. Drinking affects not only the consumer but also their families.

Will Dr Piukala’s call take root here? Is there a hope that the government will adopt the evidence-based interventions he has listed? What about public awareness campaigns and investment in prevention and treatment to support people struggling with alcohol use disorders? While change will not be easy in a country where rum is part of the national identity, it is important to make the distinction between culture and destiny. Just as norms around smoking have shifted globally, so too can those around drinking.

Lest we forget, Guyana did pass the Tobacco Control Act in July 2017, which targeted smoking in indoor public places, workplaces and on public transport and banned the advertising of tobacco products. It also sought to regulate the sale of cigarettes, while creating reporting requirements for manufacturers, wholesale distributors and importers.

The impetus required now is the recognition, not only by the political leadership, but by all concerned, that the cost of inaction is too high. Decisive steps have to be taken now to safeguard the health, dignity, and the very lives of the citizens of this country.