Health Policy: Addressing Alcohol Abuse and its Effects

This article discusses the importance of health policies in addressing alcohol abuse and its effects on individuals and society. It explores the Alcohol Policy, which aims to control alcohol consumption and reduce related deaths and violence. The policy includes measures such as regulating alcohol manufacturing and sales, creating awareness about the effects of alcohol misuse, and providing rehabilitation programs for alcoholics. By implementing these measures, the policy seeks to improve the health and well-being of individuals and families affected by alcohol abuse.

Running head: HEALTH POLICY` 1
Health Policy
Student’s Name
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Health Policy
Introduction
A health policy refers to simple decisions and plans, which aim at improving the
provision of health services to the immediate community. Health policies are implemented by the
state, federal or local government as rules that help to better the health conditions of the citizens
of a country. Health policies are meant to address health issues that raise concern to the public by
introducing new measures whose interaction leads to a lasting solution regarding the problem at
hand (Benedek, Panzierer, Jauk & Neubauer, 2017).
Academic Research
Over the years, drug abuse has been one of the most prevalent health issues in
contemporary society with the most affected group being the youth. The most commonly abused
drugs include bhang, alcohol and cigarette smoke. Several approaches have been used to combat
these health issues such as prohibiting bhang smoking in more than 90% of countries in the
world (Sayette, 2017).
However, alcohol abuse has generated over the years. With minors engaging in the habit,
alcohol consumption is becoming a threat to the national and even global health. It, therefore,
calls for an urgent solution to reduce if not do away with the health problem.
Alcohol comes in containers of different sizes, proportions, strength, quality, taste, price
and even color. Barely a good number of people in the society can afford quality brands of
alcohol, which have been strongly recommended by bureau companies. They, therefore, resort to
cheaper and more dangerous brands, which cost them. It should be noted that excessive
consumption of the quality brands would still affect the consumer. Therefore, the consumer who

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goes for the cheaper brands is generally putting their life in total danger (Thompson, Oram,
Correll, Tsermentseli, & Stubbs, 2017).
Medical research has proven that the drug, especially when taken in excess within a
long period, will eventually cause the consumer to develop very dangerous and costly health
complications. Research has also proven that consumption may affect most of the delicate and
important internal organs in human anatomy. Some of the most important organs that are
commonly affected by the drug include the liver, brain, gut, pancreas, lungs and the immune
system as a whole. (Osna &Kharbanda, 2016)
Some of the common effects of alcohol consumption on the body of the consumer
include; worsening the condition of patients with diseases (whether well nourished or not) such
as diabetes by disturbing the sugar level balance by the hormone insulin (Emmanuelle, Swade &
Emmanuelle, 1998). Secondly, it causes diseases on important and fragile internal organs by
leading to diseases such as alcoholic-induced liver cirrhosis and alcohol-induced pancreatitis
Being a risk factor for one of the world's deadliest diseases (cancer), alcohol should be one of the
worst drugs in human history. Excessive consumption of alcohol may lead to throat, liver, colon
and even breast cancer. With cancer being one of the greatest threats in human history, it is clear
that alcohol consumption is a health issue that requires an urgent response to save the human
race (Le Maître, Dhanabalan, Bogdanovic, Alkass, & Druid, 2018).
However, most drinkers of alcohol tend to explain etiologically their reasons for taking
alcohol. Most consumers of the drug tend to rely more on two arguments. The first argument
explains that the drug is a potent stress reliever. Alcohol is said to be one of the most common
stress relievers in human history. It is arguable that the statement has some truth that can
be ,explained medically or biologically because the drug tampers with the central nervous system

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of the consumer making the nerves to relax leading a sense of a stress free mindset, but it is also
factual to state that there is more bad than good in alcohol consumption. Other drinkers also say
that they only drink for social reasons, which are also correct (Renders et al., 2016).
As stated earlier, a health policy will consist of a set of decisions which when
implemented in an optimal environment will lead to the achievement of a specific goal, or goals
in normal society. A complete policy will focus on attaining not one but multiple goals. Most
policies are borne out of research or any research that point to a specific problem or social issue
that calls for urgent action due to its gravity or severity of the effects when met with a delay
(Tanner-Smith & Lipsey, 2015).
After random research, it was noted that a large number of members of contemporary
society take and misuse alcohol. Most people who take the drug do not know the severity of the
effects of abusing alcohol. Some of these effects include accidents, injuries, and even death. The
research also indicated that one out of every three households has at least one individual who
consumes and most probably misuses alcohol raising a cause for worry in the country. Moreover,
cases of alcohol-inflicted violence have also been noted throughout the country not to mention
the number of lives claimed by drunk driving. In some cases, the consumers are minors making
this a threat to the future of national health (Thakkar, Sharma, & Sahota, 2015).
In addition, in some places, contraband brands of alcohol are sold to unsuspecting
citizens at throwaway prices resulting in adverse side effects to the consumer, the family and
immediate society. Some are even fooled by two for one offer, which eventually leads to binge
drinking. Some of the problems that result from consumption of the drug include diseases like
liver cirrhosis, which arise from excessive consumption of the drug for an extended period.
Increased school and college dropout rates especially among minors in a bid to find more time to

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make more money and spend it in buying alcohol and poverty because many cash is spent in
purchasing alcohol especially in cases of addiction. Also, there are numerous indirect effects of
excessive alcohol consumption such as transmission of HIV & AIDS. All this led to the
conception of the Alcohol Policy (Müller et al., 2017).
The health policy is important because it generally aims at improving the health of
individuals in society. The target population of this policy is enormous because at least all groups
of people in contemporary society tend to consume alcohol either in small or large quantities.
Therefore, the system is expected to address a deep health problem with a very large target group
that is expected to benefit from the implementation of the policy if it happens to succeed.
The Alcohol Policy tries to control the consumption of alcohol to reduce the effects that
come with the same. Therefore, the policy tries to achieve the goal by stating decisions and
regulations that will see the manufacturer of the drug, the seller and the consumer all face criteria
before handling the drug by making, either selling or consuming. In achieving its primary goal,
the policy is also expected to reduce alcohol-related deaths by reducing the number of cases of
violence that are ignited by the consumption of alcohol. Recent research reveals that 1.8 million
lives are lost every year due to alcohol-related circumstances all over the world (Musa, 2016). It
is a matter of global health that calls for action. This can be done through counseling or even
rehabilitation programs that will see the alcoholics restrain from taking alcohol.
In addition, it will reduce the rate of dropping out of school among minors due to alcohol
consumption by educating the minors on the side effects of misuse of alcohol. Through youth
camps, public rallies, having guiding and counseling lessons in school as lessons and fixing
engaging programs in platforms such as national television to reach out to a good number of
minors.

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Without forgetting, it will improve the living standards of families torn due to alcohol
consumption by reducing the amount of money spent on hospital bills. This is possible when the
policy has taken root, and all measures that guarantee its success have been put in place. When
the number of alcoholics reduces maybe as a result of an effective rehabilitation program, the
amount of money that would be spent on buying alcohol will now be spent on something more
constructive for the better of the individual, family and the society at large (Crane et al., 2016).
Moreover, it will involve chronic alcoholics in a rehabilitation program in a bid to
improve their health and to redeem their lives and those of their families. In these programs,
experts work closely with their clients (in this case the chronic alcoholics) solely to make sure
the client is freed from the addiction of the drug after a specified time. The program aims to
reduce significantly the number of alcoholics in a given society (Blaine, & Sinha, 2017).
It will also change the perception of alcoholics on binge drinking and reduce the number
of binge drinkers. Furthermore, the policy also seeks to reduce the amount of alcohol taken by
individual drinkers. This can be done by creating awareness by organizing public rallies for the
same purpose. Media platforms may also be used for the same purpose.
The number of binge drinkers will reduce through education and rehabilitation programs
all over the country. This could be done by regulating the prices of the product all over the
country to a standard amount per unit to restrain the individuals in question. Also, push for
reduction of cheap liquor in bars, restaurants and liquor stores to reduce the number of youth and
young adults who take alcohol (Xu & Chaloupka, 2011). This will eventually lead to a reduction
in the number of minors who takes the drug due to lack of money for that matter.
Recent research reveals that the number of young children who take alcohol increases at a
high rate every year. The study also reveals that children as young as seven years old are exposed

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to drinking habits by their irresponsible parents making them chronic alcoholics by the time they
attain legal age. Parents can as well keep of their children from this behavior just by being
responsible.
The alcohol policy makes sure that all members of society who are involved in
manufacture, distribution sale and consumption of the drug follow required guidelines that will
significantly reduce the effect that come with alcohol consumption throughout the nation. This is
expected to be achieved by making sure only licensed manufacturers can manufacture and
supply the product in the country to prevent cases of contraband brands being consumed by the
citizens. Moreover, bar and restaurant owners are expected to have renewable licenses from
either the federal, state or the local government concerning their business in selling the drug.
Lastly, to prevent cases of minors getting access to alcohol, the legal age should be strictly
adhered to, and entrance into the bars and restaurants shall only be after verification by the
security officers on the ground. By doing this in strict adherence by all the parties concerned, the
policy is expected to achieve its goal within a short time frame of say five years (Salling, et al.,
2016).
Furthermore, it is also essential to put some measures in place to facilitate the
achievement of the common goal within the proposed timeframe. Therefore, the policy seeks to
achieve its principal and subsidiary goals by starting nation-wide campaigns that aim at creating
awareness to the society on the effects of misuse of alcohol. This could be done in public rallies,
through social media platforms or widespread communication media like the radio and television
networks (Barr, Helms, Grant, & Messaoudi, 2016).
Working to reduce the availability of cheap alcohol in the country to reduce the number
of binge drinkers and young adults who engage in the same, this is achievable by placing high

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penalties on alcohol manufacturing companies and imposing high taxes on locally manufactured
and imported brands of alcohol.
Reducing or banning the advertisement of the various brands of alcohol especially
between programs that please the youth will also go a long way in solving the problem. This is
expected to reduce the exposure of the youth and young adults to the habit. Television and radio
channels may be required to reduce or altogether avoid the number of adverts on the same,
especially during school holidays.
Redeeming the health of the victims of alcohol consumption by enrolling them in
government-funded rehabilitation camps all over the country will combat addiction and improve
the life of the health of the individual in question. Moreover, the rehabilitation camps are
expected to change the perception of the victims toward binge drinking. Working hand in hand
with alcohol-manufacturing companies to reduce the harm of the product on the health of the
consumer will help reduce health problems related to alcohol consumption by members of
society.
Enabling the government to use its authority to punish bar owners and liquor storeowners
who default the legal age could also help in controlling the problem. This should be punishable
by either a hefty fine or other relevant methods of punishment. This is because most alcoholics
of this time were exposed to the habit when still young adults.
Providing licenses to businesses companies at a higher fee and imposing higher taxes on
the same to discourage the growth of this business. While it is evident that the alcohol industry
contributes to the economy of a country, it is also clear that the government spends more revenue
in trying to treat the consumers of the product in health centers and rehabilitation camps.

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Conclusion
In summary, alcohol is a sedative that tampers with the consumer's nervous system by
relaxing the nerves. Alcohol has severe effects on the body of the consumer but not easily
noticed when taken in small amounts. Excessive consumption of alcohol leads to grave effects
such as liver cirrhosis or even death. Other grave effects of the drug include dementia where the
consumer is not able to think or behave appropriately before taking the drug. This is a result of
damaged brain cells
A good number of people living in the contemporary can afford to buy alcohol making
the drug a severe health crisis. Moreover, the drug is not 'prohibited by most drugs making it
easy to be abused. The drug is therefore consumed by adults and young adults especially those
with irresponsible parents.
Due to the threat, it poses to health care; there comes a need to combat the issue before it
is too late. Therefore, the Alcohol Policy comes in to defend the health of the citizens. The policy
seeks to protect the health of the citizens by putting strict measures such as licensing business
that deals with this product, reducing the advertisement of the various brands. Most importantly
creating awareness to the public on the effects of alcohol to individuals and families through
rallies and launching anti-alcohol campaigns among other measures highlighted in the previous
paragraphs (Yohn, Bartolomei, & Blendy, 2015).
Through these measures, the policy is expected to reduce significantly the number of
deaths, injuries, and accidents that are alcohol-related, reduce the number of minors who take
alcohol among other goals highlighted above. With all the measures in place, it is proposed that
the project shall have achieved most if not all of its goals in five years from the time of
implementation

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