Alcoholism – UPSC GS2

Alcohol is a subject in the State list under the seventh schedule of the Indian Constitution.

Article 47 of the Directive Principle in the Constitution of India states that “The state shall undertake rules to bring about prohibition of the consumption except for medicinal purposes of intoxicating drinks and of drugs which are injurious to health.”

Alcohol ban in Bihar

Alcohol ban in Kerala

Alcohol consumption leads to household impoverishment, domestic violence and premature mortality. The main sufferers here are women and therefore, they have time and again protested for ban on alcohol

Children and women are suffering more than anyone else due to increasing liquor consumption.

Alcohol, especially in large quantities, can damage people’s kidneys and livers, and can eventually lead to death

Some religions (such as Islam, Mormonism, and some Pentecostal Christians) expressly forbids the consumption of alcohol

Some argue that there is a direct correlation between alcohol consumption and an increase in crime. Violent crimes, assault, and disorderly conduct are most common with persons who are intoxicated

Loss of human resource which impacts economy and increases social burden

Prohibition of alcohol limits and/or prevents alcohol addiction

Prohibition reduces the causalities and damages through drunk driving

Some religions (such as Islam, Mormonism, and some Pentecostal Christians) expressly forbids the consumption of alcohol

Loss of revenue to states. The sale of alcohol contributes to the economy of the state through the tax directly and through the tourism, indirectly

Ban may also lead to smuggling of illicit liquor and production of spurious liquor

It also spawns massive corruption

Blanket bans could adversely affect tourism, hospitality and other businesses, besides being an unfair intrusion into personal choices of a large section of people who can afford liquor and consume moderately

Criminal organizations will mostly profit from prohibition and, that in return, will promote other illegal activities.

In most cultures and religions, social drinking is an acceptable practice

It simply does not work. Examples from states like Gujarat show that prohibition is only on paper. It does not work on ground.

Enforce a minimum price for alcohol

Raise the legal drinking age

Stop distribution of new licenses

Ban marketing of alcohol

Empower women from revenues :- From the revenues earned from liquor, the government should empower women so that they can be more independent. Domestic violence against women is a symptom of a much more serious problem which cannot be solved by liquor ban

The judgment argued that even laws that sought justification in the Directive Principles of State Policy in the Constitution had to be reasonable and must respect fundamental rights.

In addition, the court said, the punishments prescribed by the law were “quite unreasonable and draconian and cannot be justified in a civilised society