The sudden death of sultry songstress Amy Winehouse last July came as a shock to the music world. Her creativity and capacity to sing soothingly captivated not a few music lovers around the globe.However her penchant for drugs and drink slightly got the better of her. Her battles to fight addictiveness to alcohol and drugs were well-known. As she swung between soberness and drunken behaviour, even her father predicted her early death as a way to jolt her into rethinking her habits. Amy's last appearance at a concert in Serbia was cut short because she was drunk on stage. The fans simply booed her off. That was her last performance on stage. The coroner's report out on Wednesday stated that her death was the 'result of drinking too much alcohol'. Three bottles of Vodka were found in her home. Verdict: misadventure. That high level of alcohol consumption definitely has deadly down sides is no longer contestable. The global levels of consumption have taken a turn for the worse. Last March, the World Health Organisation (WHO) revealed that the abuse of alcohol causes nearly four percent more deaths than AIDS and Tuberculosis worldwide. Furthermore WHO noted that rising incomes were highlighted as being a cause of increase in alcohol consumption Africa and Asia. The industry is not tightly regulated. Hence in Nigeria an adult can send a minor to go a purchase a bottle of beer from the beer parlour next door. That's not all. The enticing nature embedded in the high level advertisements from our breweries is an invitation to buy and drink excessively in order to win the prizes on offer. Initially the prizes offered were domestic appliances and other minor items. These days prizes include cars, electronic products and other goods. A few years ago, consumers were invited to participate in a game show and stand the chance of winning one million Naira. Consumers are lured to purchase the product, enjoy the 'rich taste' look for a code under the cap and send it via text. Viewers could also win some money by answering questions correctly. All of this sees an increase in sales and in the levels of beer consumption as people keen to win the prize money head to the nearest bar! The breweries also organise beach parties, and other open air events at which foreign rappers, Nigerian artistes are in full attendance. These are occasions to guzzle beer to your hearts content! A variety of social events are organised under the auspices of the breweries as a means of ensuring high sales volume. They buy enough airtime to make sure the programmes are widely viewed on primetime television. Naturally, the product begins to appeal to the viewers both young and old.The alcoholic drinks market due to such aggressive marketing strategies as well as enticing promotional offers is booming in Nigeria. But let us be cautious. Excessive Beer, Spirits and other kinds of alcoholic drinks serve as risk factor for chronic diseases such as kidney failure, cancer of the liver, cirrhosis etc. Drinking sprees could easily lead to alcohol poisoning. The following is part of a survey conducted on male undergraduate students in Owerri, Imo State conducted by Ebirim and Morakinyo published by BMC Public Health 'documentation of quantity of alcohol consumed revealed that heavy drinkers were at risk of most of the health complication associated with alcohol consumption. Harmful use of alcohol encompasses several aspects of drinking; one is the volume of drink over time. The strongest drinking-related predicator of many chronic illnesses is the cumulated amount of alcohol consumed over a period of a year.' Here in Africa, breweries adopt marketing strategies that are no longer allowed in Europe and America. In an attempt to win cars or money, Nigerian consumers eagerly buy and excessively drink beer! The 'drink responsibly' refrain has little or no impact because by the same token, attractive gifts are dangled before the eyes of potential consumers. Our youth in particular are easily swayed by the aggressive marketing strategies produced from the bowels of the beer and stout makers. There's plenty of debate and discussion about sale of alcohol to minors, sale of alcohol at motor-parks, the adverse social and health effects. The curbing of health problems caused by alcohol must be addressed seriously. Mild refrains from the producers about drinking responsibly cannot be left solely in the hands. They are only concerned with big profits not public health issues. Lifestyle diseases are real and have to be curtailed by government. Our policy makers need to take note of these health issues and their economic damage and not turn a blind eye to matters that affect the lifespan and productivity of the population. The federal and state ministries of health must expand their mandate to include providing regular public health information on the lifestyle diseases to create awareness in the three main languages, TV and radio programmes and other creative communication strategies. The leadership owe it to the public to provide the relevant information to help people make informed choices. These public health campaigns should be made widely available in time and in line with preventive health strategies recommended by the world heath body.
Click here to read full news..
