Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala’s alcohol policy is a model for the world, a recent international conference was told. However, the policy’s critics said it was a gateway for illicit drugs and spurious spirits.
The Kerala government hosted the international conference on “Effective Strategies for the prevention of Alcohol and Substance Abuse” February 17-19 to share with the world the success stories and positive impacts of its new alcohol policy.
The event was hosted by Subodham (good sense), set up in April in 2015 as an administrative mechanism to tackle addiction through awareness, research and rehabilitation programs.
More than 150 delegates, representing various countries and international bodies attended the conference
The new policy has led to the closure of all liquor bars in the southern Indian state, except those functioning in Five Star hotels. It has also cut down by 10 percent the supply of alcohol through its beverage outlets in 2015. All these measures aim to introduce gradually total prohibition in the state by 2030, the government claims.
“It is noteworthy that the government has recognized its first priority as the people’s health and social well being,”observed Global policy expert Derek Rutherford, the key note speaker. Rutherford, a British who was instrumental in developing a Global Alcohol Policy, said the Kerala policy is a “model for the entire world” and observed that “a partnership between civil society and the government is essential in bringing out the desired results.”
Rutherford said alcohol was the third largest cause of death and disability world over. The efforts of the state to reduce alcohol abuse in the state were laudable, he added.
Sally Casswell, Expert Committee Chairperson of the World Health Organization (WHO) congratulated the government for its bold steps to curb alcohol availability and developing various Demand Reduction strategies. She said supply reduction is the most effective strategy in curbing alcohol use, referring to the highest prevalence of alcohol use by the Kerala community.
Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, advocate of the policy, opened the conference by saying that his government has not only reduced supply of alcohol, but devised several steps to spread awareness and treat the dependents.
“The government has earmarked Rs.78 crore ( 780 million rupees ) for this year and Rs.148 crore (1.48 billion rupees) over the next two years for demand reduction programs,” he said. The chief minister also claimed that the policy has not only reduced drinking, but drastically reduced crime rates, accidents and domestic violence in Kerala. “Our liquor policy aims at an addiction free Kerala by 2030,” he added.
The director of Subodham, K.Ampady, said the Excise Department has already opened 1,467 anti-narcotic clubs in schools and 231 in colleges to fight drug and alcohol abuse, besides funding several de-addiction centers.
Kerala recorded a one-fourth slide in sale of Indian made foreign liquor (IMFL), but there have been a steep rise in the consumption of beer and wine in the state in the past 21 months after the Congress-led UDF government implemented its new liquor policy.
According to data presented by the Excise commissioner, the demand for IMFL in the state declined by 54 million liters compared to 21 months before the liquor policy came into force. The overall sale of liquor in the state has fallen by 24.87 percent, he added.
The new policy allowed the sale of foreign liquor only through Five Star category Hotels and thereby, the government had closed down 700 odd bars and turned them into beer and wine parlors.
While the IMFL sale has dropped by nearly 25 percent, the studies showed beer sale increased by 65 percent and wine sale by 260.02 percent.
Dr. Seema, the only woman communist Member of Parliament from Kerala who spoke on the occasion, agreed that Kerala has to address alcoholism as a priority since it has destroyed family peace and economy to a great extent. However, she observed that the government announced the alcohol policy in a hurry, without sufficient scientific studies and consultations. This has resulted in the policy not producing the desired results, she added.
Seema says her party believes in “abstinence model” not in prohibition. “In fact, the new alcohol policy has resulted in initiating more youths into drinking through beer and wine, as well as wide use of illicit drugs,” she alleged.
Some participants pointed out that the illicit liquor lobby has become active after the policy was introduced.
V.M. Sudheeran, president of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee who took a stern stand on alcohol policy, agreed that certain unhealthy trends have emerged out of the policy, but added that the government was open for dialogue with all political parties to reform the policy in a way people benefits.
Kerala governor P Sathasivam, who spoke in the valedictory function, hailed the alcohol policy and asserted it was constitutional. “It was the obligation of state governments to enforce prohibition,”, he said pointing to the Directive Principles of the Constitution that asks governments to endeavor to bring about prohibition of intoxicating drinks, “even though it is not stated in the fundamental rights.”
The Excise Department has decided to conduct a survey on the growth of illicit drug use and other negative effects of the alcohol policy in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) under the Subhodham project in the state.
“All aspects of drug abuse – trends, the types of banned substances widely used and sections and age groups of the users – will come under the survey,” the Subodham director said.
International bodies such as UNODC, WHO, Global Alcohol Policy Alliance, Colombo Plan and representatives from federal and state governments, NGOs and addiction professionals attended the conference.