Good and quality stuff! i would really appreciate if the author or any other guest of this page can elaborate upon the last few lines of the article. Because i do not want to agree/ disagree blindly. Thanks. For more info visit: http://www.alcoholtreat...

“anonymous”; thanks for you comment. Yes, I also have no doubt you can find the health benefits of wine in other, less harmful, substances. It is all a part of that “clouded outlook”, I guess.

Nuno; thanks for your contribution. There is naturally a variation regarding statistics in different parts of the world. The figures in the article are taken from the report of WHO (2004), and mainly represent the situation in the west.
The increasing consumption of alcohol in develping countries is of course a big problem, and complicates many other issues, such as crime, HIV/AIDS and corruption.
Regarding the situation in the “first world”, I’m not sure about other countries but in Sweden, where I live, the consumption is unfortunately not decreasing, and even increasing among some groups. Youth start drinking at a lower age, it’s easier to smuggle cheap spirits across boarders and the general deterioration of people’s mental health are seen as contributing factors.
There is a raise in awareness, but as long as there is a free trade and a social acceptance it is difficult to bring about a change.

I was trying to find figures for alcohol consumption worldwide in order to ascertain whether there is a tendency for consumption to reduce as well as to understand if there are regional and socio-economic variations. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to locate a reliable source for the information that I was looking for.

I do suspect, however, that there may be some reduction in alcohol consumption in some parts of the world, particularly in the so called “first world”. My reasons for saying this have to do with advertising restrictions, a greater variety of soft-drinks (including non-alcoholic beer) and finally a better understanding of harmful effects caused by heavy alcohol consumption.

Although alcohol still consists as a central component to the western world’s socializing behaviour, recent campaigns to raise awareness about drink-driving and society’s greater sensitivity towards healthy living may also lead to lower consumption. For example, in recent years there has been a greater availability and variety of non-alcoholic beer in response to public demand.

Of course, my assumptions are just hypothetical. However, my concern is that alcohol may becoming an increasing problem in impoverished and developing parts of the world where the population may not yet have gained some of the insight available to us regarding the harmful effects of alcohol consumption. Those who could really do without “more problems” may be the ones who are, at the end of the day, most affected as markets shift and companies seek new costumers.

I have an interesting story to tell about an experience in Africa which I observed over dinner, during a business trip. I’ll leave that for another occasion.

Robert Michel