Government plans early battle against bottle

Updated on: Monday, May 16, 2011

The state government feels prevention, and not prohibition, is the best cure for alcoholism. It plans to take the battle against the bottle to schools and colleges by introducing it in the curriculum to create awareness. This, it hopes, will help reduce alcohol consumption.

“The National Family Survey report states the average age at which an individual hits the bottle in Maharashtra is 19. So it is necessary that we target the young if we want to wean people away from alcohol,” said Shivajirao Moghe, social justice minister. The state government’s anti-liquor campaign is on since the 1950’s.

At a meeting with chief minister Prithviraj Chavan on Thursday, officials also suggested that alcohol bottles bear a skull-and-bones picture as on cigarette packs. Labels now simply mention in tiny letters that alcohol consumption is injurious to health. “Alcohol is a big cause of accidents and diseases, and destroys families. But prohibition has not worked,” said Moghe. After a three-year debate on whether prohibition or awareness campaigns will help, the government opted for the latter. Details like which subject in schools or colleges the issue will be part of are yet to be decided.

“There was a suggestion from social activist Anna Hazare to restrict the sale of liquor to two bottles per individual per week. But this will create a black market,” he said adding activists too favoured creating awareness. “In Russia, the government has been able to reduce alcohol consumption by awareness campaigns,” he said.

The social justice department will present a note on the issue to the cabinet. Moghe said that the policy is likely to be approved by May-end. “We will rope in celebrities to spread the message. Sachin Tendulkar saying alcohol is harmful to health will have far greater impact than prohibition,” he said, adding that no budget has been fixed.

Government plans early battle against bottle

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