Alcohol Free Countries
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Alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence are
increasing throughout the world. Does this mean that alcohol
free countries do not exist?
Some Examples of Alcohol Free
Countries
Surprisingly,
there are a number of alcohol free countries.
 Pakistan.
Since 1977, only non-Muslim groups such as Christians,
Zoroastrians and Hindus are permitted to apply for alcohol
permits in Pakistan. The monthly allotment usually
depends on income but it is typically 100 bottles of beer
or 5 bottles of liquor.
Enforced by Pakistan's Islamic Ideology Council, the ban is
strictly enforced. Members of religious minorities,
however, frequently sell their liquor permits to Muslims and
contributes to the continuing black market trade in alcohol.
Russia. According to a law that took
effect on July 1, 2006 Russia could become a country without
alcohol by September of 2006. One of the fears of such
legislation, however, could be that the Russian market share
dominated by counterfeiters could increase from approximately 50%
to 90%.
In spite of the fact that Russia imports wine from 35 countries,
poisoning from counterfeit alcohol kills more than 40,000 people
according to Russian authorities.
| Approximately 14 million people
in the United States are addicted to alcohol or abuse
alcohol. |
Examples of Other Alcohol Free
Countries
Libya. Libya completely bans the
consumption, production, or importation of alcohol and imposes
strict penalties on offenders.
India. Some areas of India are dry.
Examples include the State of Gujarat and Mizoram.
Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Both Saudi
Arabia and Kuwait totally ban the ingestion, production, or
importation of alcohol and imposes stern forms of punishment on
those who disregard the ban, including many weeks of incarceration
and possible whippings.
Qatar. Qatar bans the importation of
alcohol and has made it a punishable crime to be intoxicated or to
drink in public. Natives who violate the law may go to prison
or may be deported. Alcohol is accessible at licensed
bars and hotel restaurants and expatriates living in the Qatar can
get alcohol on a permit basis.
| According to a 1999 report by
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 6,374 youth
from the ages of 15 to 20 were killed in auto accidents. Alcohol
use was documented in 2,238 (35%) of these
deaths. |
Bangladesh. Similar to other Muslim
countries, Bangladesh has also imposed prohibition.
Interestingly, various restaurants and hotels are authorized to
sell alcohol to foreigners. In addition, foreigners, but not
locals, are authorized to import small amounts of alcohol for
personal use.
| In the early stage of
alcoholism, drinking is no longer social but becomes a means of
psychological escape from inhibitions, problems, and stress. Stated
differently, early in the disease a person starts to depend on the
mood altering capabilities of alcohol. |
Morocco and Tunisia. Morocco and Tunisia
have a selective ban on alcohol, meaning that alcohol can be sold
and consumed in special bars or zones for tourists only.
| Research has shown that people
who start drinking at an early age, for instance at 13 years old or
younger, significantly increases the likelihood that they will
experience alcohol problems later in
life. |
Sudan. Sudan has banned all alcohol
consumption and imposes strict penalties on offenders.
The Maldives. The Maldives ban the
importation of alcohol but make alcoholic beverages available to
foreign tourists on resort islands with the understanding that the
alcohol will not be taken off the resort.
| The amount of alcohol in the
blood is called blood alcohol concentration or blood alcohol
content (BAC). Alcohol is metabolized at the rate of .015 of (BAC)
every hour. For instance, a person with a BAC of .15 (this BAC is
almost twice the legal amount when driving) will have no measurable
alcohol in his or her bloodstream ten hours after the last drink
(.15 divided by .015 = 10). |
Alcohol Free Countries:
Conclusion
As stated above, there are a number of alcohol free
countries in the world. Although numerous
countries have either had prohibition at some time or considered
the possibility of prohibition, the alcohol free countries
mentioned above are the only nations that currently have a ban on
the importation, consumption, or production of alcohol.
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| A recent national United States
survey of female college students found that 15% of them had been
raped at some time since the age of 14. In 53% of these cases, the
victim was drinking and in 64% of these cases, the offender was
drinking. |
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