Sunday, 16 July 2023 | MANSI BHAMBRI | DEHRADUN
Various factors like insecurity, finance and peer pressure are encouraging alcohol consumption among the State’s people, said the members of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). A member of AA, Ravi said that with time, the consumption of alcohol has increased among the State’s women too at an alarming rate. He said that he has been running the AA chapter in Dehradun for 25 years now. Peer pressure, aping of western culture, social acceptance and stress are some other reasons behind the increase in consumption of alcohol, he added.
Ravi claimed that many alcohol-addicted people have been cured by AA. Commenting on the working of the AA he said, “AA is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism. The primary purpose of AA is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety.”
He further claimed that it’s impossible to free Uttarakhand from drug abuse and consumption of alcohol by 2025. Talking to The Pioneer another member of AA, Saurabh said that he personally encountered a number of cases of alarming alcohol consumption across the State.
Financial fears along with insecurity are the major causes that push people to the consumption of alcohol. He said that to become a member of AA, the only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. “The AA conducts meeting every day across the State regarding controlling the intaking alcohol among people. In the meeting we share our personal experience of controlling the consumption of alcohol with time,” said Saurabh.
