For Alcoholics With Withdrawal Symptoms, Kerala Government To Issue Special Alcohol Passes
Following the lockdown and the closure of liquor outlets in Kerala, there were multiple cases of suicide among those suffering from withdrawal symptoms after failing to buy liquor.
After the liquor shops were shut for the 21-day national lockdown due to the Coronavirus pandemic, around six people committed suicide as they failed to procure any alcohol. The victims were said to be frustrated and experiencing severe withdrawal symptoms.
The Kerala government has therefore decided to make alcohol available by issuing special passes for drinkers. Alcohol consumers can also produce a doctor¡¯s prescription to purchase liquor. According to a Government order, limited quantities of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) can be issued to those possessing the passes.
A decision allowing the purchase of liquor from the Excise department in a "controlled manner" was taken by the state government to "resolve" what it called many social issues including suicidal tendencies and frustration among people who consumed alcohol regularly.
Alcohol withdrawal symptoms can range from being mild, such as headaches and nausea, to serious concerns like seizures and hallucinations.
Kerala has the highest per capita consumption of alcohol in the country. The sale of liquor in the state has continued on an upward spiral despite the prohibitive tax on legal alcohol and the many dry days.
The state had a record Rs 14,508 crore liquor sales in 2018-19 sold through the Kerala State Beverages Corporation (Bevco), the state-owned liquor retail monopoly, compared to around Rs 11,000 crore in the previous year, according to official data.
The amount of liquor sold in bars and hotels remained unquantified. Bootleg liquor, hooch and moonshine also appropriated a sizeable segment of the market for cheap and hard spirits on holidays.
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According to the order passed the Kerala government the prescription could be produced at the nearby excise office along with a government-issued identity card of the person carrying the prescription and receive a liquor pass.
The pass can be produced before the office of the Beverages Cooperation Managing Director, who will take necessary steps to distribute liquor, the order said.
However, the medical fraternity was up in arms on Tuesday against the government order. The Kerala Government Medical Officer's Association (KGMOA) has decided to observe April 1 as 'black day' to protest against the order issued late on Monday night.
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Dr Vijayakrishnan G S, General Secretary of the KGMOA, called the decision a medical blunder. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) also flayed the Left government's plan to supply liquor to addicts based on prescription, saying it was not "scientific."
After the lockdown, Kerala was among the first states to make alcohol an essential commodity. Chief Minister of Kerala, Pinarayi Vijayan, clarified that while state-run Kerala State Beverages (Manufacturing and Marketing) Corporation Limited (Bevco) liquor outlets will remain open, "Customers cannot sit and drink. The counter sale will be allowed later if needed."
INPUTS: PTI
