Alcohol abuse getting out of hand

ONE does not have to look far to see that the culture of drinking with no control and respect and responsibility is destroying Papua New Guinea.
What many do not realise is that when you drink alcohol, you don’t digest alcohol, it passes quickly into your bloodstream and travels to every part of your body.
Alcohol affects your brain first, then your kidneys, lungs and liver.
Alcohol’s impact on your body starts from the moment you take your first sip.
While an occasional glass of wine with dinner isn’t a cause for concern, the cumulative effects of drinking wine, beer, or spirits can take its toll.
Alcohol consumption in public is supposed to be illegal, but unfortunately, this behaviour is becoming a norm right throughout the country.
Port Moresby General Hospital reported three deaths during the New Year period, two male and a female, all alcohol-related.
Acting director medical services Dr Sonny Kibob says the hospital experienced an unprecedented event of trauma cases this New Year period which was never experienced over the last 20 years and most were alcohol-related.
In Lae, police units had to frequent West Taraka after drunkard youths caused disturbances in the neighbourhood.
Lae police boss Chief Supt Kunyanban said elsewhere in the city, police units managed to disperse youths under the influence of alcohol and causing inconveniences to people who were celebrating.
It was observed during the night of the New Year that there were cases of breaking empty bottles on major roads within Lae city as well as stone throwing, which some police vehicles patrolling sections in the city were stoned.
In Goroka, a brawl between a father and drunkard sons ended in the sons burning down four family houses.
In Madang, police reported the main cause of most complains reported during the New Year was alcohol-related.
We share with you extracts from a Facebook commentary by Dr Lawrence Sause from the University of PNG, on the need to break the culture of alcohol and pleasure with no responsibility in PNG.
Young men and women, even starting in schools, are sucked into this culture.
Parents and especially the men and neighbours, help to cultivate this culture of drinking by abusing alcohol.
Generations of young men, seeing what their fathers do, drink with no end in sight.
No job, no helping out, no responsibility, nothing!
Many get married with no means of supporting their wives and kids and have to depend on their parents to raise their family.
Many more turn to violent crime perpetuated by abusing alcohol.
We concur with Dr Sause that we are creating a generation of good-for-nothing alcohol abusers and pleasure seekers with no responsibility to themselves, their families, their communities, and their country.
As we have always been advocating, it starts at home in the family.
Children should be raised well, parents should invest in their education and proper upbringing and don’t abuse alcohol at home.
Alcohol abuse is a contentious issue that poses many challenges for our society.
One just has to read in the papers or witness in your neighbourhood that alcohol abuse is uncontrollable and beyond the ability and capacity of the Government or the authorities to deal with.
We concur with Dr Sause that we must take back our generation of young men and women or else we are doomed as a society.