Alcohol – another social poison!

(Continued from last week) ALCOHOL causes decay in the cells of the brain and the cortex. This may cause alcoholic psychosis and loss of memory. In this stage, an alcoholic loses the ability to distinguish the concrete from the abstract and the real from

THE body soon loses resistance to microbes and thus becomes an easy prey to any microbe. The person then has troubles in the kidneys, albumin in the urine, fatal blood acidity, etcetera which may end tragically with heart failure.

Whatever vitamin B is found in the body of the regular drinker, is eaten away by the alcohol in the process of oxidisation. As a result of the lack of Vitamin B and malnutrition, the person may suffer paralysis in the hands, feet and legs. He may even develop infections in the brain. He could possibly develop infections in eye nerves, which ends up with blindness. Alcohol is simply a ‘poison’.

Research on alcohol

Many people have illusions about the “benefits” of alcohol, yet research shows that the fact is that it is most harmful. According to a study in the Lancet (UK), a detailed report co-authored by Professor David Nutt (the former government chief drugs adviser) declares: “Alcohol is more harmful than heroin or crack when the overall dangers to the individual and society are considered.”

The report ranked 20 drugs on 16 measures of harm to users and to wider society. Heroin, crack and crystal meth were deemed worst for individuals, with alcohol, heroin and crack cocaine worst for society, and alcohol worst overall.

The study involved 16 criteria, including a drug’s effects on users’ physical and mental health, social harms including crime, “family adversities” and environmental damage, economic costs and “international damage”.

Professor David Nutt goes on to say: “Overall, alcohol is the most harmful drug because it’s so widely used. Crack cocaine is more addictive than alcohol but because alcohol is so widely used there are hundreds of thousands of people who crave alcohol every day, and those people will go to extraordinary lengths to get it.”

Intoxication risks

Intoxication is the most common cause of alcohol-related problems, leading to injuries and premature deaths. In a statistical research conducted in South Australia, the Drugs and Alcohol Services listed that alcohol is responsible for 30 percent of road accidents, 44 percent of fire injuries, 34 percent of falls and drowning, 16 percent of child abuse cases, 12 percent of suicides and 10 percent of industrial accidents.

As well as deaths, the short-term effects of alcohol result in illness and loss of work productivity (for instance hangovers, drink driving offences).

In addition, alcohol contributes to criminal behaviour - in 2010 it was reported that more than 70 000 Australians were victims of alcohol-related assault, among which 24 000 were victims of alcohol-related domestic violence.

The same report highlights that each year, approximately 3000 people die as a result of excessive alcohol consumption and around 100 000 people are hospitalised. Long-term excessive alcohol consumption is associated with: heart damage, high blood pressure and stroke, liver disease, cancers of the digestive system, other digestive system disorders (eg stomach ulcers) sexual impotence and reduced fertility, increasing risk of breast cancer, sleeping difficulties, brain damage with mood and personality changes, concentration and memory problems, nutrition-related conditions, risks to unborn babies.

In addition to health problems, alcohol also impacts on relationships, finances, work, and may result in legal problems.

Tolerance and dependence

A regular drinker may develop tolerance and dependence. Tolerance means that they feel less effect than they used to with the same amount of alcohol.

Hence they will gradually keep increasing their intake to be able to get the same feel that they used to get before with the lesser intake.

Dependence means that the alcohol becomes central in their life and they continue to drink despite being aware of the harm caused by that consumption.

A lot of time is spent thinking about alcohol, obtaining it, consuming it and recovering from it. The person will find it difficult to stop drinking or to control the amount consumed. ◆ For further information on Islam or a free copy of the Holy Qur’aan, please contact: Majlisul Ulama Zimbabwe, Council of Islamic Scholars Publications Department, P.O. Box W93, Waterfalls, Harare. Tel: 04-614078 / 614004, Fax : 04-614003.E-mail: majliszw@ yahoo.com