Life is best lived when there is a good and balanced understanding of things. Choices and decisions in life can only be maximized and effective with a right understanding. The power of choice by individuals can never be overemphasized because it affects and impacts how one turns out in life. It's a personal decision or choice to engage in drinking alcohol or engaging in substance abuse such as taking hard drugs though this personal choice can result from influence from peer pressure, faulty upbringing, societal abnormalities, ignorance etc.
There has been several awareness from concerned individuals based on health concern and also, religious, government or interest groups organizing seminars, campaigns, enlightenment programs as regards alcohol and substance abuse to forestall the impending danger engaging in these things can result to. As a healthcare professional, i will say the damaging effects of both in the body system are more or less the same because their effects on the body end organs like liver, kidney, lungs, brain and all can be grievous.
Infact, there are many diseases and conditions that are directly related to these two like liver cirrhosis & abscess, lung cancer, mental disorders, diabetes and so on. All these disease and many more are in addition to their addictive effect, high cost of procurement/buying them, high cost of managing such conditions, the quality of life lived by the engagers and risk of life threatening conditions associated with such. An adage says: "Let call a spade a spade", both are evil induced.
It's amazing when the manufacturers write clearly on the label and even announced the impending danger of such substances yet people still engage with them. The most painful part is that juveniles who are the future of a family/nation are now engaging in these substances and this contributes to the high rise of menace in our society today. It's easy to blame everything on poverty, poor governance, failed society/parenting, peer pressure, moral decadence etc but the choice still lies with individuals weighing the benefits and the risks associated side by side.
Personally, i believe that it all still lies in the hand of the individuals to decide and know what is good for oneself either as a male or a female as both genders are involved with these substances. More awareness and orientation is still needed especially at the grassroot level because of wrong orientation and wrong believe learnt informally over time. There is need for a regulated control on content advertisement and promotion especially on the media front by the government because most young ones come into contact with these things virtually on the internet which arose a desire to look and engage on them physically at all cost and means.
Personally, i believe alcoholic drinks can only be controlled or regulated by the government because the huge VAT (Value Added Tax) and other earnings which the government makes from these drinks may not make them to ban it except in extreme or warranted circumstances. Any default or compromise should be well dealt with to achieve a better compliance. If well controlled and moderated, definitely it will impact positively on the society as the rate of crimes and menace might be reduced to an extent because most crimes are perpetuated under the influence of these substances. Therefore, effective control and public awareness are needed but the choice still lies with individuals. Thanks for reading and comments/contributions are welcomed.
This is my entry to @Hivelearners weekly featured contents, week 118 Edition 01 on "No More Alcohol"
