I do agree with the given passage and believe that it can be applied to the greater Saskatchewan area. We need to look at alcohol as the primary perpetrator instead of looking at the actions that have caused it. Looking at alcohol subjectively will spark the conversation around how alcohol is consumed and abused in our societies. Alcohol is a growing issue both socially and medically (Global News 2017). Alcohol is used all around us, you see it at almost any social gathering, on the television and in our homes, adding to the normalization of this substance. What is not spoken about, however, are the negative consequences that are a direct result of alcohol. This passage is not only important in rewriting the alcohol story, but can also be …show more content…
Saskatchewan needs to focus on the “achievement of individual and collective goals consistent with justice, and the attainment and preservation of conditions of fundamental equality” (Feather 250). This can be done through strengthening the community, the improvement of social programs and provider skills, and in empowering our Northern communities (Feather 252). As discussed earlier, Canada focuses on the enforcement of drug and substances rather than on prevention. Social costs by alcohol abuse may have some bearing on what types of programming are available (Adrian 321). Major health concerns and other problems within our communities caused by alcohol become a strain on resources (Global News 2017). Alcohol abuse resulted in 77,000 hospitalizations in Canada in 2016 (Global News 2017). In Saskatchewan, hospitalization rates were 44 per cent higher than the national average (Global News 2017). Instead of spending money on imprisonment and medical costs, the money could instead be spent on prevention and advertising the negative impacts of alcohol consumption. Alcohol has become a major issue in our society cementing the importance of education and communication. In treating alcohol as the primary cause instead of a secondary factor, society can begin the conversation. People need to look within their communities, provinces and country about how alcohol has not only affected them as an individual, but the world that they live
These days there are a number of social issues in the community, such as drug abuse, teenage pregnancy and alcohol abuse. Alcohol abuse is rampant in today’s society, Australian Drug Foundation states that, “Alcohol is the most widely used psychoactive, or mood-changing, recreational drug in Australia.”(Healey, 2002, p. 11). Underage drinking and binge drinking are some of the problems associated with alcohol abuse.
The rising drug and alcohol problem proves to be an issue both locally and nationally, with a lasting detrimental impact on the individual and society as a whole. A health disparity report from Healthiest Wisconsin 2020 reports, “In 2011, Wisconsin ranked first in the nation for both heavy drinking and binge drinking among adults” (Wisconsin Department of Health Services, slide 14). Drug and alcohol abuse are a concern to this population due to the detrimental impacts to both the individual and the surrounding individuals. For instance, alcohol abuse can lead to cirrhosis of the liver, alcohol dependence, and cause anomalies to the fetus if the mother drinks excessively during her pregnancy. Overall, those who choose to abuse drugs and alcohol
Alcoholics Anonymous was founded in 1935 in Akron Ohio by Dr.Bob and Bill. They created this organization because they were alcoholics trying to get over their addiction at the time, they wanted to expand this group to help out even more people. How this organization started to take off and expand farther than Akron Ohio is, the two men Dr.Bob and Bill went to the hospital in Akron Ohio to help the alcoholics in the hospital. This man that they helped in the hospital helped the two men start the first AA group, later on the idea spread to New York which started the second group, a third group started in Cleveland, within these three “founding” groups it took over four years to produce 100 sober people out of the three groups together.
The cost of substance abuse in Canada is astronomical. According to the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse (CCSA), in 2002 alcohol accounted for about $14.6 billion and illegal drugs for about $8.2 billion in social cost (Single, Robertson, Rehm, & Xie, 2002). This cost was measured in terms of the burden on health care and law enforcement, and productivity in the workplace or home. Arguably, the greatest cost may be immeasurable: human suffering and tragic loss of lives. This suffering is not limited to only of those wrestling with these problems, but extends those around them: family, friends, co-workers and society as a whole.
The Globe and Mail’s article, “Why Canada needs a new alcohol strategy,” discusses the imposing threat alcohol has on Canadians. Marijuana and its harmful effect continue to be the topic of discussion amongst Canadians when in fact alcohol attracts the largest number of youth. Alcohol is a harmful substance that poses a greater threat to young Canadians than the likes of marijuana, prescription drugs and cigarettes. According to a 2012-13 Health Canada survey, 41 percent of grade 7 to grade 12 students said they drank alcohol at least once in the previous year, compared with 19 per cent who had tried marijuana and 13 per cent who had smoked a cigarette. Of the students who drank, 30 per cent had binged. Binge drinking is defined as five or more drinks at a single sitting. There are many risks alcohol poses, but the major ones include, drunk driving, increased risk of alcoholism, learning and memory impairment, sexual assault/abuse and suicide. Adults are drinking harmful amounts of alcohol, putting them at high risks of health. According to stats Canada, nearly 20 per cent of Canadians are heavy drinkers. One in four Canadians exceeds national safety drinking guidelines. Many Canadians don’t realize we drink unsafe amounts of alcohol and its increasing chances of harm that comes with it. Majority of Canada’s citizens don’t realize there is a drinking guideline. Most cases regarding alcohol are turned a blind eye and only receive attention in the media when there is a
Australia has a well-established and deeply ingrained drinking culture and while most people are satisfied with a few beers on the odd weekend or a glass of wine with dinner, others have become addicted and have developed alcohol dependence. With alcohol dependency now the most common substance use disorder in Australia the effects of this disorder are far-reaching and catastrophic not only for the individual suffering the addiction and their family and friends, but for our government as well who is shelling out billions of dollars annually to address the fallout of this disorder. However, the devastation caused by such addictions may be a thing of the past as Professor Daryl Davies from the University of Southern California has
People today are blinded by the clouds of drugs. Just within the 2015 year over, 47 thousand Canadians deaths were linked to substance abuse. Canadians are aware of the dangers connected to taking part in this practice, however, we do not want to accept it.
The severity of this dependence varies between individuals. Roughly 4% of the Canadian population, over the age of 15, are suffering from an alcohol dependency or are alcoholics. The highest percentage of these drinking problems are among people between the ages of 20 and 24. Roughly one fifth of Canada’s alcoholics have admitted that financial and job-related problems have been caused by their drinking (“Alcohol in Canada,” 2016).
Alcohol consumption and illegal drugs helped lead to the imprisonment of four out of five inmates in the nation's prisons and jails. Alcohol misuse is a major contributor to crime, disorders, violent and anti-social behavior. The Cabinet Office Strategy Unit’s interim analysis estimates that alcohol-related crime costs society up to 7.3 billion per year. Up to a third of all domestic violence is linked to alcohol.
The issue of drug policy is one that has plagued our society for decades now, and will continue to linger until we finally become proactive make some bold decisions. With over twenty thousand deaths each year, in Canada alone, due to illicit substances , this is a problem that must be addressed immediately. Many people know where to turn when they have alcohol addiction issues, most turn to Alcoholics Anonymous for example. Smokers are also offered many incentives and advertisements that deter smoking and help them in their struggle to quit. But, there has been no major campaign or well known foundation to seek help in if you are having problems with other drugs such as heroin, cocaine, LSD, or marijuana. Our problem in Canada is that these drugs are seen as merely a judicial and criminal issue, rather than a public issue which affects each and every one of us in society. In this essay, I will prove that the decriminalization, by the government of all drugs and implementing education on drugs instead will lead to a decline in drug related deaths and social issues.
Alcohol misuse in Australia society is a community issue that can be addressed successfully within a health promotion framework. It is important that strategies
Alcohol is the most abused licit psychoactive drugs that affect one 's ability to think rationally and distorts their judgement if consumed excessively. Alcohol addiction is an illness arising from prolonged and excessive intake of alcoholic drinks. An alcoholic is a person suffering from alcohol addiction. Prolonged excessive use of large quantities can eventually lead to chronic health diseases like cirrhosis of the liver, anaemia, cardiovascular disease, dementia, depression seizures, gout and alcohol related accidents and crime. Statistics show that 9 million people in England drink more than the recommended daily intake while an estimated 8.697 died of alcohol-related deaths in 2014. According to the WHO worldwide alcohol causes 1.8 million deaths (3.2% of total) and 58.3 million (4% of total) of Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs). Alcohol beverages with varied percentage content are consumed globally during religious, social, cultural events, festivals and other occasions. The use of alcoholic beverages has been an integral part of many cultures for thousands of years (McGovern, 2009). Over the centuries, there have been ongoing measures, research, interventions and policies which are aimed at promoting the moderate use of alcohol with a particular emphasis on preventing or reducing undesired outcomes. This essay will outline the key components of brief interventions in alcohol, the difference in approach with traditional methods of treatment and in conclusion, the
The alcoholic beverage has remained an established element to society’s social world and has grown into a way of living. As alcohol continues to flourish in its prevalence among citizens of the United States, so does the concept of alcohol addiction. A person becomes addicted to alcohol when they “drink excessively and develops a dependence that results in noticeable mental disturbance, or an interference with bodily and mental health, their interpersonal relations, and their smooth social and economic functioning” (Calahan, 1970, pp. 3). In 2009, the National Institute on Drug Abuse reported that about 52% of Americans used alcohol at least once within 30 days of their survey. As the percentage of Americans who consume alcohol
In today's modern society alcohol addiction and alcohol abuse has become one of the most complex, life-threatening issues. Most depressed individuals usually indulge themselves in bars or pubs with their alcohols to escape from their stressful life. It has become increasingly alarming how alcohol does not only attract the adults, but also teenagers these days. "Research has shown that approximately 14 million Americans (7.4%) of the population meet the diagnostic criteria for alcohol abuse or alcoholism" ("Facts about Alcohol"). Alcohol addicts may encounter social impact such as loss of respect from others who may see the problem as self- inflictive and easily avoided. Repeated use of alcohol over a period of time can result in
“In our society, drinking is a big problem,” said William Ntakuka, program officer for SCAD, a Kenya-based nonprofit organization that campaigns against alcohol and drug abuse. “It’s bad, and it’s getting worse” (Evans, 2015)