Rethinking Alcohol Control in India

Syllabus: GS2/Health

In News

• India has recorded one of the highest rates of heavy episodic alcohol drinking, with lakhs needing clinical and social support.

Present status 

• Alcohol and alcoholic beverages contain ethanol, which is a psychoactive and toxic substance with dependence-producing properties.
  • Alcohol has been widely used in many cultures for centuries, but it is associated with significant health risks and harms. 
• The safe level of alcohol consumption is zero, yet 23% of Indian men and 1% of women consume alcohol (NFHS-5).

Reasons for Consumption 

• Alcohol use is influenced by a complex mix of biopsychosocial, commercial, and policy factors.
• Biologically, some people are genetically prone to addiction, while psychologically and socially, stress relief, peer pressure, and media portrayals normalize drinking.
• Commercially, the industry targets new and younger consumers with diverse products, surrogate advertising, promotions, and strategic placements, often amplified by social media.
• Easy access is ensured through widespread liquor store locations and attractive packaging, while pricing makes alcohol affordable for both rural lower-income groups and urban middle classes.
• Policy-wise, the alcohol industry heavily influences regulation, resisting stricter laws by highlighting its revenue contributions, and circumvents advertising bans through covert marketing tactics.

Impacts of Alcohol Consumption

• Health Impact: Alcohol use significantly increases risks of injuries, mental illness, non-communicable diseases like cancer, and is linked to aggression, crime, suicides, and risky behavior. 
• Economic Impact: While states earn heavily through excise duty (~₹2.5 lakh crore annually), the social cost of alcohol outweighs this gain, according to NITI Aayog estimates.
  • Workplace absenteeism, job loss, and decreased efficiency are major outcomes.
• Social Impact: NCRB reports reveal a high correlation between alcohol use and cases of domestic abuse, marital rape, and child neglect.
  • Easy availability, peer pressure, and glorification on social media have led to a rise in underage drinking, particularly in metros.

Regulation Status 

• Alcohol regulation in India falls under State jurisdiction, granting each State authority over legislation, excise taxes, supply chain, licensing and manufacturing, sale and consumption restrictions, prohibition, and pricing. 
• Some States like Bihar, Gujarat, Mizoram, and Nagaland enforce prohibition, while others like Andhra Pradesh and Kerala promote alcohol sales with policies such as affordable pricing and marketing traditional beverages. 

Various Policies 

• Alcohol was initially excluded from India’s 2012 National Policy on Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances but was later included in the 2021-22 National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction under Nasha Mukta Bharat Abhiyan.
• The National Mental Health Policy (NMHP) 2014 recognised the role of alcohol in mental illness and suicide prevention and suggested the need for a specific action plan. 
• The National Health Policy (NHP) 2017 mentioned curbing alcohol use through higher taxation. 
• The National Suicide Prevention Strategy (NSPS) 2022 identified alcohol as a major risk factor for suicides, advocating for a national alcohol control policy and measures to limit alcohol accessibility.
• The National Action Plan and Monitoring Framework for Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases (NMAP) 2017-2022 also echoed the call for a national alcohol policy.

Issues and Concerns 

• The national policies address specific issues like drunk driving or supply-chain regulation but India currently lacks a comprehensive, unified national alcohol regulation policy.
• The efforts to reduce alcohol demand and supply are fragmented across various Central ministries and States. 
• The GST Act excludes liquor from sales tax, leaving alcohol taxation largely to States, often under vague excise policies. 

Suggestions and Way Forward 

• Regulating alcohol in India is urgent but complex due to its ties with State revenues, social norms, and politics.
• A comprehensive, evidence-based, and equitable systems approach is needed.
• Key measures include
  • Pricing alcohol to deter misuse without encouraging illicit liquor, earmarking health taxes for public health
  • Restricting alcohol availability in daily environments,
  • Regulating digital and influencer-driven advertising, enforcing plain packaging and warning labels,
  • Increasing public awareness of alcohol’s health risks, and using AI to control online alcohol content and misinformation.
  • A unified National Alcohol Control Policy is essential to prioritize public health over profits and ensure long-term well-being.

Source:TH