Can alcoholic bitters prevent next pandemic?

• Published date: 22 January 2023
• Publication title: Nigeria - The Nation

Alcohol consumption is a serious public health challenge worldwide, including Nigeria. Although the level of alcohol consumption differs widely around the world, the burden of disease and death remains significant in most regions with Europe and America having the highest alcohol attributable fractions at 6.5% and 5.6%, respectively.

Recent evidence also indicates that alcohol consumption is now the world's third largest risk factor for disease and disability; almost 4% of all deaths globally are attributed to alcohol.

However, alcohol is the most commonly used psychoactive drug in both young people and adults in Nigeria. Some of the factors contributing to alcohol consumption among Nigerians include the absence of alcohol policies, easy access to alcoholic drinks, and lack of implementation of a minimum drinking age by both the government and the brewers.

It's worthy of note that, the real-world impact of alcohol abuse reaches far beyond the financial costs. When a loved one has a problem with alcohol, it can affect their marriage and their extended family. There's also the larger impact on the community, schools, the workplace, the healthcare system and on society as a whole.

In most parts of Nigeria, there's very little control over the sale and distribution of alcohol. It's available in small and portable packaging and people of any age can buy it. It's not uncommon for bars to be situated near schools.

According to the World Health Organisation, Nigeria ranks second on the list of African countries for heavy episodic drinking.

Scholarly sources have backed this claim. But reports on the prevalence of alcohol use among the Nigerian university student population show conflicting results.

They are difficult to compare because the studies have used different methods and samples, at different locations and times. They have also looked at the contribution of different psychological factors. This makes it harder to use the studies to guide interventions to combat harmful drinking.

The rate of alcohol use significantly differed across geographical locations. Alcohol use was more predominant among students in the North East and South South region. The least alcohol consumption was reported in the North West and South West. A probable explanation for this difference is socio-cultural and religious factors and ease of access to alcohol. Alcohol is prohibited in the core part of the North West on Islamic religious grounds, but is generally culturally acceptable and...