In the aftermath of the hooch tragedies in Villupuram and Chengalpattu districts, in which 22 lives were lost, there has been a call to reduce the number of Tasmac liquor stores in the state. Will reducing the number of stores really tackle the issue? Not really. When one door is shut, desperate people will look for other options. Strict enforcement alone will not bring in much change as people will always find ways to get intoxicated. For instance, during the Covid-19 lockdown, when there was no access to alcohol, many people were brewing liquor at homes or other places. People even died after drinking hand sanitiser.
However, it cannot be denied that enforcement is lax. Even hooch deaths are not as rare as thought to be. Many such deaths are not being reported although they occur regularly. Similarly, although the legal drinking age in Tamil Nadu is 21, the age at which people are introduced to alcohol or drugs has fallen to 13. While Tasmac shops are meant to function from 10 am to 10 pm, it is an open secret, known to police, that many shops sell liquor after hours as well.
While enforcement can certainly be strengthened, the prime means by which alcohol and drug abuse can be reduced is by increasing awareness on the harmful effects of these substances. Given that more and more school children are accessing these substances by the day, aggressive awareness programmes must be conducted in schools and colleges. Government organisations, NGOs and other stakeholders should join hands in this. It must be a multi-departmental effort.
As part of the awareness drive, the participants must be educated to understand addiction and the treatments available to address the problem. It must be acknowledged that addiction is a disease rather than a behavioural problem and that treatment should be sought to overcome it. The programme should also eradicate myths about substance or alcohol abuse.
The necessity for such a drive can be seen in the poor response to deaddiction centres that the state government has spent so many resources to set up. Almost every government hospital has such a facility but due to a lack of awareness on available interventions and the possibility to rehabilitate addicts, there are few takers.
It is essential that every stakeholder participates in raising awareness. For example, school students have been known to carry liquor in their water bottles, mixed with juice or water. In such cases, government agencies cannot go and check the bottle of every student. Awareness among these children should be the key to tackling it.
Similarly, many hotels are aware that the legal drinking age is 21, but they still allow school farewell parties with alcohol to be held on their premises. Here, it is the responsibility of the hotel management to stop the children and raise awareness of the harms of drinking alcohol.
Further, when police detain repeat drink-and-drive offenders, instead of merely slapping fine on them, they should refer them to therapists to assess their issues or send them to rehabilitation or deaddiction centres and have them to work there for a few days in order to better understand the problem of alcohol or drug abuse.
It is sad to note that even children have started turning peddlers of drugs. This is why everyone -- resident welfare associations, village administrative officers, panchayat presidents, police, parents, teachers, schools and colleges -- should take responsibility for raising awareness. Every woman should be empowered to tackle addiction within the family. The awareness efforts should be followed up with the right therapy and rehabilitation, when needed. Every addict should be followed up with for five years at least to avoid relapse. Aside from the individual’s own willpower, family and society too play a key role in preventing them from relapsing.
Will reducing Tasmac shops do the trick?
Will reducing the number of liquor stores really tackle the issue? Not really. When one door is shut, desperate people will look for others
Footnote is a weekly column that discusses issues relating to Tamil Nadu
Soumya Shankar Raman is the head of therapy & operations at the TT Ranganathan Clinical Research Foundation, a de-addiction hospital in Chennai