Back in 1960, liquor was banned in Gujarat and in 2016, Nitish Kumar banned liquor in Bihar. Apart from these two states, alcohol is also prohibited in Nagaland and Mizoram.
So, is it a good idea to ban alcohol consumption? Let’s discuss.
So why is it banned again?
Nitish Kumar cited reducing domestic violence as one of the key reasons to impose the ban. Gujarat did it to pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi who was born in the state.
Why does it not work?
Here are a few cons for the ban. Let’s talk about the ban in Gujarat for instance. The Gujarat government has been missing out on billions of rupees in tax revenue because of the ban. Moreover, it’s not like people in Gujarat don’t consume alcohol. The black market for alcohol still exists. Alcohol is smuggled in huge quantities in the state. (Go to Daman/Ratanpur and you’ll know).
It is also about what alcohol represents. It has become a part of the culture now. The millennials today view alcohol as a stress-release drink. That makes Gujarat a not-so-attractive option to stay. That is a key reason why top foreign IT companies haven’t been able to set up base in Gujarat yet.
What is worse is that alcohol is seen as a taboo in these states. When you criminalise something that should be normalised, basic human behaviour dictates that it will be misused.
What does the data show?
Yes, there are some serious issues that alcohol causes. WHO estimates that roughly 55% of domestic abuse perpetrators were drinking alcohol prior to assault. Traffic accident cases in states like Gujarat and Bihar are much lower than states like Rajasthan, Maharashtra, UP, MP etc. and a key reason is lack of alcohol availability in those states. However, this calls for better administration in the non-dry states rather than trying to ban alcohol altogether.
What do you think?
Personally, I don’t think banning alcohol is the solution- strictly regulating it is. What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments.
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