Thursday marked the commemoration of No Alcohol Day and South Africa tops the annual list of most countries with heavy drinkers. As part of No Alcohol Day, the minister of Social Development Sisisi Tolashe urged South Africans to stop drinking heavily.

HARMFUL EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL

According to the SAMRC, (South African Medical Research Council) there is a liquor outlet for every 190 persons in South Africa. "Alcohol remains the substance with the greatest burden of harm. The per capita consumption of alcohol in South Africa is 11 litres, which ranks the country in the top twenty per capita alcohol consumption worldwide for individuals drinking alcohol, and that means the country has the highest consumption in Africa. This is a real concern for my Department and the government at large," said Tolashe.

The minister said alcohol is the most misused drug in South Africa. "Alcohol use has been recognised as a major contributor to the global burden of disease, with an even greater detrimental effect in low- and middle-income countries and people living in poverty. In total, more than 13 million disability-adjusted life years, or 7% of the total disease burden in South Africa, is attributed to alcohol," said the minister.

PREVENT ANOTHER ENYOBENI TAVERN TRAGEDY

Youth are the worst affected as young people aged 15 to 29 have the greatest burden of disease attributable to alcohol use. Although, men generally use and abuse alcohol more frequently and experience a greater burden of disease than women, a significant proportion of young women in South Africa are also using alcohol.

The minister also urged communities to report unregistered taverns and those selling alcohol to minors in our neighborhoods to the police.This is especially in light of the tragedy that happened two years ago at the Scenery Park in the Eastern Cape, where minors died at Enyobeni tavern after consuming alcohol.