18 February 2011

World Health and Alcoholism

A World Health Organisation report issued today (see here) states that 1 in 15 men in the UK is an alcoholic. That's a pretty high number. Given there are about 29 million men in the UK that means there are about 1.9 million alcoholic men in the UK, not to mention women. Given too that about half of those will have absolutely no community conscience and will drink/drive to get more alcohol, that is about a million drunk drivers on the road. This can be at any time of day, after all the true alcoholic will need to get that fix as soon as he wakes , so will drive with alcohol still in his bloodstream from the day before. But of course the number of drunks on the roads will get progressively worse during the course of the day and evening. Greg always used to insist that he was a better driver drunk than most people were sober. Yeah, right. That's why he had scratches and dents at every corner of his car. That is why, towards the end, I got his supplies, as I did not want someone's death on my conscience.

Mind how you drive. You never know how many of them at any given moment will be driving in front of you, behind you or towards you!

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The report also says that 4% of all deaths worldwide are attributed to alcohol, greater than deaths caused by HIV/Aids, tuberculosis or violence. When you consider what efforts have been spent on trying to eradicate Aids and TB, it is amazing how little is being done to stop the march of alcoholism.

12 comments:

Saz said...

sobering words!
luv sara x

Nota Bene said...

Yes, I know a few people that still drive when they've had a few...no reasoning with them. Strange and worrying that logic flies out the window.

And the last para is indeed sobering

nappy valley girl said...

Here in the US nobody seems to think twice about drinking and driving - it's like the UK 30 years ago. And funnily enough, you see lots of cars with scratches and dents...

Furtheron said...

I think the number is about right.

You are right that if this was something new that had been recently introduced everyone would be baying for it to be controlled/outlawed.

However of course for the majority of the other 85% they can handle their drink so they can argue why punish us... fair enough point but we need more education on alcohol and more help

Anonymous said...

Hi Addy,

I do think there is massive problem in general perception on alcoholism. Its seen as a choice which it is in the begining but then becomes less so. Its addictive and its leagally sold in this country which the government are happy enough to take in the taxes from. It isn't given enough focus as you said and the figures you posted are sobering in themselves.

All the best

Nechtan

Linda Bartee Doyne said...

Hi Addy -- I'm just catching up with my blog post reading today. I wanted to tell you that in November I wrote "Driving Along in my Automobile." It tells how Riley thought his driving was just the same whether drunk or sober. I think you will enjoy it. http://immortalalcoholic.blogspot.com/2010/11/driving-along-in-my-automobile.html

Linda (Immortal Alcoholic)

Flowerpot said...

Well said Addy - it's amazing how many people do drive when under the influence.

Unknown said...

Wow. I can only hope that someone is impacted and maybe their life changed by these words. I know too many people who don't think twice about drinking and driving.

Very well said!

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
www.retiredandcrazy.com said...

And that's not to mention the face that our jail are full of alcoholics and addicts. It's a huge problem that won't just go away. It has to be addressed.

Working Mum said...

That's a very scary number of alcoholics. I've found it's my parents generation who drink and drive because they did so before the drink driving laws were enforced. My generation grew up with the laws and are used to having "designated drivers" and saying "no" to alcohol when out so I would have thought the number of drink drivers was decreasing, but if there are that many people addicted to alcohol it may be getting worse.

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