This article contains information about alcohol and alcohol dependence. Please read with caution regarding your own mental and physical condition.

People happily drink alcoholic beverages along with refreshing music/background. In countries where alcohol is consumed, suchcontract manufacturerand advertisements are frequently disseminated. However, the number of alcohol-related deaths worldwide is about300allThe number of deaths and disabilities attributable to alcohol is Alcohol-related deaths and disabilities are also among the total number of both.20to a person1The number of deaths and disabilities from tobacco use is almost the same as the number of deaths and disabilities from illicit drug abuse. This number is almost the same as the number of deaths and disabilities attributed to tobacco use and the number of deaths and disabilities attributed to the abuse of illegal drugs.5timesThe number of The study also included all alcohol, legal drugs, and illegal drugs in the U.K., and asked which of these drugs caused the most physical and social harm to users and non-users.surveyIn the "Drugs and Tobacco" section, alcohol ranked first, ahead of heroin, cocaine, cigarettes, and marijuana. We will look into the reality of why, in many parts of the world, regulations on drugs and tobacco are becoming stricter, while alcohol is left unchecked.

Alcoholic beverages (pictured.) are crammed throughout the store:Toronto Eaters / StockSnap.io [CC0 1.0])

Physical effects of alcohol

The negative effects of alcohol are mainly2The effects can be divided into two types: physical effects and social effects. The two types are physical and social effects. In this section, we will discuss the2The analysis will be conducted on the effects of alcohol from two perspectives. 

First, as a physical effect, alcohol consumption isVarious DiseasesIt is said to cause The first premise is that alcohol should be removed from the bodytoxinIt is. The humanalcohol metabolismis divided into two phases: upon ingestion into the body, it is metabolized into acetaldehyde, a relatively toxic compound, and then into acetic acid, which is relatively non-toxic. When alcohol is ingested and converted to acetaldehyde, it causes the signs of alcohol intoxication, such as flushing, headache, nausea, and increased heart rate. of alcohol consumption.accumulateThe diseases caused by alcohol consumption are cirrhosis of the liver, acute and chronic pancreatitis, heart failure, hypertension, depression, stroke, and cancer. The danger of alcohol consumption is that the harm to the body builds up slowly over time, so that the body is screaming and the person is unaware of it.

Alcohol also stimulates the brain to release dopamine, a reward system chemical. This causes the brain to associate drinking with positive emotions and creates a desire to drink more. In other words, once in the body, alcoholdependenceThe possibility of becoming addicted to alcohol is very high. Of course, just taking alcohol into your body once does not instantly make you addicted, but there are many other factors that contribute to addiction (note 1). Also, because it is a brain disease, the weakness of the person's will ishave nothing to do with (something)... Alcoholism makes drinking a habit, and as a result, the amount of alcohol consumed tends to increase. This greatly increases the risk of developing the aforementioned diseases, as well as depression,mental healthOften, there is also a significant impact on the As with other addictions, when blood alcohol levels drop in alcohol dependence, the dependent patientwithdrawal symptomsand develop symptoms such as tremors, headaches, and anxiety. To escape these withdrawal symptoms, they sometimes repeat the cycle of drinking alcohol again, even though they know that drinking alcohol is not good for them.

In addition to long-term dependence as described above, alcoholism also has short-term effectsacute alcohol intoxicationThere are also Acute alcohol intoxication can cause vomiting and headaches, and in the worst cases, death can result from low blood pressure, coma, and breathing difficulties caused by elevated blood alcohol levels, or death by asphyxiation from accidental ingestion of one's own vomit. In addition, the effects of alcohol consumption are said to be more severe on young people, who are not yet fully matured, than on physically mature adults. The effects of alcohol on the young brain are especially great, causing brain atrophycauseIt can also be a

The physical effects of alcohol do not fall only on the individual who drinks. Pregnant women's drinking can affect the fetus before birth, causing mental retardation and birth defects after birth. This.FAS(Commonly known asFASDsThe term "drinking" is used to describe the effects of alcohol on the mother's body and the infant's health. Infants can also be affected through the breast milk of mothers who drink.

Poster in English and Spanish warning pregnant women against drinking (Photo:Angie Linder / Flickr [CC BY-SA 2.0])

Social consequences of alcohol

So far, we have introduced the effects of alcohol on the body, but the effects it has on society are also enormous. In this section, we will look at the social effects of alcohol. 

The first social impact cited is the link between crime and alcohol. The two most common alcohol-induced crimes are "drunk driving accidents" and "the association between alcohol and violence".2I would like to introduce two.

First, regarding drunk driving.2016In 2006, the U.S.10,497-ian (e.g. Italian, etc.) (attaches to name of country)were killed in DUI-related traffic accidents. This is the highest number of traffic fatalities in the U.S.28%The number of drunk drivers in the United States is the second highest in the world. Many countries internationally have strong laws against drunk driving, which can result in the revocation of a driver's license and, in some cases, imprisonment.not a littleThe damage is still ongoing. Nevertheless, there is still no end to the number of victims. It is important to mention here that the victims of drunk driving accidents are not limited to the person who consumed alcohol and drove, but often involve unrelated people.

Banner raising awareness about drinking accidents (Thailand) (Photo:Nathan LeClair / Flickr [CC BY-NC-ND 2.0])

The next section will address the relationship between alcohol and crimes involving violence. There is a strong association between excessive alcohol consumption and violentresearchThe results of this study have been revealed by the This is due to the fact that alcohol consumption weakens the brain mechanisms that normally inhibit impulsive behaviors such as aggression, leading to inappropriate judgments of situations and overreactions. For example, a person in a state of intoxication may mistakenly believe that he or she is being threatened over a trivial matter, resulting in aggression toward the other person, which may lead to violence. In addition, because of the effect of hyper-sensitivity to anger as well as other emotions, the risk of suicide, errors in judgment, and other problems caused by emotions such as heightened sadness and upset can easily occurpointing outThe company has been2007The event was held in Australia in 2006.surveyAccording to,14Among Australian citizens over the age of 18, about4.5%were victims of alcohol-related violence. Alcohol-related domestic and inter-partnerviolenceis also a serious problem. 

In extreme cases, violence accompanied by alcohol can also lead to homicide.2000Since the year2006About half of all homicides in Australia during the year ((47%)was concluded to be alcohol-related.results (of a study)There are also 

It is also noted that alcohol consumption causes various types of harassment. Japan has a "Alcohol Harassment (Alcohol Harassment)Alcohol coercion has become such a problem that there is even a term "alcohol coercion. While only about 10% of respondents say they have been subjected to alcohol harassment, about 40% of those who have been subjected to it say that they have been subjected to it.results (of a study)There are also 

that there is a strong relationship between alcohol consumption and poverty.pointing outThere are also Many people who live in poverty or have problems in their social lives want to escape daily stress and anxiety, and they want to drown their anxieties by drinking alcohol, which is inexpensive and easily accessible.Some people thinkThis is because alcohol affects the parasympathetic nervous systemDowner systemIt is associated with the fact that it is a drug of However, even if drinking alcohol temporarily distracts them from their feelings, it does not remove the root cause of the problem, since the factors that make them poor and make social life difficult are structural in society, and the stress and anxiety will continue. Therefore, if the consumption of alcohol becomes a habit in search of temporary relief from anxiety, the amount of alcohol consumed will gradually increase. This will cause health problems and increase the risk of addiction, as has been the case in the past.I will not be able to work.. Or the cost of alcohol becomes a drain on the family budget, and poverty worsens as a result.case (e.g. receptacle, condition, event, legal action, letter style, etc.)There are Even when a person is not in poverty, stress and other factors can lead to alcohol use and poverty with alcohol as one factor.

Also with harmful drinking,HIV/AIDSbetween the outbreak of infectious diseases such ascausal relationshiphas been established. This is believed to be due to an increased risk of contracting infectious diseases through risky sexual intercourse and contact while intoxicated and unable to make appropriate decisions.

Alcohol Marketing Issues and Implications

Why is it that alcohol, which causes such a variety of harms, has become so prevalent in the world and has established itself as a luxury item? We believe it is due to the extremely strong privileged status of alcohol marketing. We will now address the magnitude of the problem.

Alcohol is being advertised on a very large scale and in a very impactful way. First, let's look at the scale of it: the largest beer company in the world, theAB InBevin the world.9It is the company that pays the second most advertising dollars,2017Advertising expenditures in 2006 worldwide62Billion U.S. dollarsThe company is considered to be This is the soft drink giant Coca-Cola Company, known for its large investments in marketing worldwide.40It lightly surpasses the advertising expenditures of US$100 million. And these adsfeatureThe image of alcohol as something attractive, associated with good times, good feelings, friendship, and success, is shaped by its association with sports, time of youth, and other refreshing activities. By associating alcohol with refreshing activities such as sports and youth, positive impressions are created in consumers' minds.

Mexican beer (U.S.) promoted in advertisements associated with sports (Photo:beavela / Flickr [CC BY-NC-ND 2.0])

Alcohol marketing uses all kinds of techniques. The most prominent of these is the use of alcohol in movies, dramas, and other entertainment productions.1996-2015.20Top Hollywood Movies of the Year100Works, i.e., total2,000in the works87%Alcohol appears in Is the frequent appearance of alcohol in films a coincidence, or is it part of the alcohol companies' marketing efforts? Of course, not all films in which alcohol appears are sponsored by alcohol companies, but the fact that an alcohol company sponsors a film in which alcohol appears may be a coincidence.casehave been identified. In addition, specific brand names of alcohol have been identified in the same2,000in the works44%There is no doubt that this may be part of the marketing, given the fact that it appeared in the film of 

It is said that the portrayal of alcohol in the movies mentioned above has a significant impact on alcohol use among young people (*).2(See Exhibit 2). In addition, the marketing of alcohol clearlyyoung manIt is also reported that advertising and sales strategies are targeting the Young people are potential future customers for alcohol companies. For example, in U.S. middle schoolssurveyAccording to the Middle School2The more alcohol ads you see in your senior year, the more junior high school2Students are more likely to consume alcohol in their second year of school. In addition, hats with alcohol brand logos andtOwn shirts and other promotional items.10teenagers are almost as likely to drink alcohol as children who do not own those products.2doubled.results (of a study)also shows how effectively the alcohol industry's marketing works for young people. There are other ways in which the alcohol industry isSportsThe company is aggressively marketing its products on the Internet, targeting young people, who make up a large portion of its audience.

In addition, people with above-average alcohol metabolic capacity, such as so-called strong drinkers, are sometimes considered strong people, which also contributes to the social problem. In particular, companies often see business opportunities with women who drink at a lower rate, and the World Health Organization (WHO) says, "Alcohol marketers often portray women's drinking as a symbol of empowerment and equality."reportThe company is doing so.

Differences from Tobacco in Marketing

Similarly, physical and social harms are pointed out.tobacco industryHow does this differ from the marketing of the The tobacco industry's social windfall has led to stricter regulations on advertising and other aspects of the industry worldwide, especially in high-income countries. In the U.S.1998in the yearBasic Settlement AgreementMajor tobacco companies as4The company.18They have agreed not to target marketing to people under the age of 18. The regulations include a ban on sponsorship of sporting and entertainment events by tobacco brands, free tobacco giveaways, and vending machine sales, which are strictly regulated. In the same United States, there are virtually no arrangements to regulate the marketing of alcohol to young people, and the law21It only prohibits drinking under the age of 18.

Cigarettes and beer (Photo:Alex Brown / Flickr [CC BY 2.0])

There is also a big difference in the way they are treated in movies, dramas, and other TV programs. As for cigarettes.2000Hollywood's top box office draw in 2006.100Among the works in the second place.98The depiction of tobacco in the case was the result of a regulation,2Years later.2002In the year22for the matter ofdecreaseThe trend has been And to date, the downward trend in tobacco depictions has continued slowly. On the other hand, the number of works in which alcohol appears20annually over the course of the year.Average 5The number has been increasing gradually. 

2Two harmful tastes. Why are they treated so differently? There are two main reasons for this3Two reasonsis considered.

first (of all)1The second is a difference in perception of toxicity. Alcohol has toxicity comparable to that of cigarettes (*3) have been found to be harmful. In the case of alcohol, however, there is a discrepancy between the scientifically known harmfulness and the commonly perceived harmfulness. It is now common knowledge that tobacco use greatly increases the risk of death among smokers. This is a far cry from the perception of the harmfulness of alcohol. Moreover, since there is essentially no safe level for tobacco use, the focus of regulation is on "smoking cessation. Alcohol use, on the other hand, has a level that is, in some cases, moderate and healthy.theoryThere is also a lack of widespread awareness of its harmful effects.

2The second is the difference in the networks that seek regulation. There are groups that seek to impose regulations on alcohol.3Two different approaches (public health, ethical responsibility, and medical issues)dividing into partsThe fact that the government was able to regulate the use of alcohol in the United States is believed to have dispersed the voices calling for regulation. The catalyst for this was the failure of Prohibition-era policies.19Since the late 19th century20Throughout the 19th century, Western countries began to regulate alcohol, and prohibition laws were enacted, but at every turn, they failed.failureended up in the "old days". After this period, the approach of those who appealed for regulation of alcohol was divided into the above three categories, and the appeal was dispersed. On the other hand, the tobacco industry was relatively free of such divisions, and the movement for tobacco control was driven by a united voice calling for regulation. In addition, the fact that international consensus on tobacco control began to emerge much earlier than that on alcohol has also contributed to the progress of tobacco control.reasonIt is one of the

The third is the policy environment. The tobacco industry was not only excluded from the tobacco control negotiation process, it was formally identified as an obstacle. Thus, in the context of international tobacco control, there was no need to consider and weaken regulation of the tobacco industry, even though it is not entirely negligible in the context of international tobacco control. Such lessons from the tobacco industry led the alcohol industry to take a guiding principle in favor of the regulatory framework and to maintain a certain position in the regulatory policysuccessThe alcohol industry has been working to prevent the spread of the perception that alcohol is completely harmful to society. As a result, the alcohol industry, while acknowledging the dangers of excessive drinking and other factors, has continued to work to prevent the spread of the perception that alcohol is completely harmful to society.

Why Alcohol Marketing Preference?

Why is the alcohol industry so privileged?

Perhaps the most significant is the economic effect that alcohol is having. Currently, the world's population of alcohol drinkers is42%The company also accounts for Also,2018Worldwide retail sales of alcohol in 2006 were1.5trillion U.S. dollarsThis is the national budget of Japan for the same year.8,600Billion U.S. dollarsapproximately2The amount is twice as large as that of the U.S. If the U.S.1The tax revenue from alcohol obtained in a year isabout690Billion U.S. dollarsand this is the U.S. government's program for children's health insurance.5It is equivalent to an annual budget. In addition, the Chinese brewing company Guizhou Chiaotai Liquor is ranked in the world market capitalization ranking for all sectors combined.2021in the year16placeThe economic impact of the alcohol industry is enormous, even in light of the fact that it is the largest alcohol industry in the world. The size of this economy makes it difficult to regulate the alcohol industry.

Alcoholic beverages lined up in a bar (Taiwan) (Photo:weichen_kh / Flickr [CC BY-NC-ND 2.0]) 

In addition, although it is a measure taken in other industries, the alcohol industry has also been actively lobbying (*4) is taking place. Sometimes it crosses national borders. For example, the World Trade Organization (World Trade Organization (Organisation)), when Kenya proposed to incorporate warning labels on alcoholic beverages, keeping in mind the effects of alcohol, the European Union (EU) countries have expressed concern andBlock PolicyThe company has been This is believed to have involved lobbying efforts led by the alcohol industry.

States that prohibit alcohol

So far, we have mainly referred to how the use of alcohol affects society in countries where it is consumed. Some countries in the world have banned alcohol.

Most of the states that prohibit alcohol are those that have laws in place in accordance with Islamic doctrine. In particular.Saudi ArabiaIn some cases, alcohol is strictly forbidden in the Islamic world, and there have been cases of foreigners who have kept alcohol in their possession being arrested and spending time in jail. This is because in the Qur'an, the Islamic scripture, God, while acknowledging that alcohol has some benefits, has decided that the harmfulness of alcohol is greater than any benefits it may bring,God forbid any intoxicating beverage."It is considered to be a "good thing". The majority of Muslims believe that the consumption of "intoxicants," i.e., alcohol itself, is prohibited, but the reality is that a certain number of Muslims do in fact consume alcohol.

However, even in states that prohibit alcohol, the consumption of alcohol by non-Muslims and foreigners isCountries that recognizeare many. Also, although Muslims are the majority in the country, there is no state regulationUnited Arab Emirates(except for Sharjah and Dubai). 

Prohibition is not only in countries where the law relies on Islam.IndiaSeveral states in the U.S. have banned alcohol to improve public health. This isConstitution of India47It is based on and is part of the state's obligation to improve the nutritional level, standard of living, and public health of its citizens.

Government-approved alcohol distributors (India) (Photo:Michael Cannon / Flickr [CC BY-SA 2.0])

Response being taken

This is not to say that everyone is sitting idly by and letting this whole alcohol situation go by. Various efforts are certainly underway at the grassroots level, from the international level to the national administrative level, and even civil society organizations.

International Initiatives1One,WHOand2004Announced in 2006.Alcohol Policy.The report is a good example. However, this was only a summary of the current international status of alcohol and did not promote a move to regulate alcohol as an international arrangement. Furthermore2018In the yearWHOis a move to raise the price of alcohol through excise taxes and pricing policies.."SAFER"He led theWHOThe government of the United States has been trying to impose restrictions on alcohol by raising the price of alcohol. However, the regulation of alcohol is largely dependent on the laws and conventions of each country, and it is unlikely that any major efforts will be made within an international framework in the near future.

Meeting on alcohol policy in the EU (Estonia) (Photo:EU2017EE Estonian Presidency / Wikimedia Commons [CC BY 2.0])

There are also examples of regulation at the national level. The most common regulation of alcohol is probably age-based policing. In many countries20The law prohibits alcohol consumption below a certain age, which is around the age of 18. However, some countries have no laws or regulations regarding the age at which drinking is allowed.manyIn addition, even if there are laws and regulations, in many cases, many people do not comply with them, and it is questionable whether they are effective.

Some countries also regulate alcohol by raising the purchase hurdle through alcohol taxes or price increases. Higher alcohol prices can discourage consumers from purchasing alcohol.WHOThe European regional office of53Led the country in reducing alcoholTargetadopted. As a result, many European countries have strengthened their alcohol policies and interventions. However, a major concern remains with price increases. It could eventually lead to the creation of factors that trigger the "negative cycle of poverty" mentioned above.

Other restrictions on sales locations and hours of sale may also be useful. An example,South AfricaIn one case, hospitalizations for trauma decreased after a period of banning alcohol sales as part of the measures against the new coronavirus in the United States. Experts say that the alcohol sales ban period is only one factor, but that a causal relationship exists.opinionThere is a Similarly, in Germany, restrictions on the nighttime sale of alcohol and the reduction of hospital admissionscausal relationshiphave been identified. Also, in Latin America, alcohol is banned before and after elections.measureThe government has also taken steps to tighten regulations on drunk driving, as mentioned above. As mentioned above, the regulations on drinking and driving have also been tightened. However, despite the stricter restrictions on drunk driving, the number of accidents has not changed that much, according to a Scottish study.caseThere are also 

And finally, here are some responses to alcohol at the grassroots level.Alcohorix Anonymous(in Japanese history)AA(1) is worldwide, about160They are active in all parts of the world. It is a self-help group open to all alcoholics who come together to support each other by sharing their problems with other participants. In the U.S., men have found that alcoholism treatment has significantly reduced both physical and psychological violence against their wives.researchThis is evident in the

Sign announcing a meeting of Alcohorix Anonymous, Cuba (Photo:Reinhardt König / Flickr [CC BY-NC-ND 2.0])

There is also a trend toward reducing the harmful effects of alcohol itself. Concerned about the effects of alcohol on the body, the market share of low and non-alcoholic beverages continues to grow.2020In 2006, alcohol consumption75%top10In the alcoholic beverage markets of the following countries (Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, South Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States)3The company has a market share of approximately2024From here by the year 200031%The number is expected to increase. However, it is unclear whether this trend is purely the result of companies responding to consumer demand, or whether it is the result of companies attempting to prevent potentially more stringent regulations in advance.

Future Prospects and Summary

So far in this article, we have discussed the harmful effects of alcohol and the current situation in which it is allowed to go unchecked. It is true that moderate alcohol consumption is a luxury item. However, we feel that alcohol, which is damaging to us from various aspects of society, not to mention its physical effects, is not being strictly regulated. A drink that, with its blatant marketing, turns large numbers of people, especially children and young people with a future, into alcoholics. We must not forget to take a critical look at the current situation, which is regulated at the national and grassroots levels but not at all within an international framework. 

note 1become dependent onprimary factorare largely biological, environmental, social, and psychological factors.4It can be divided into two categories.

note 2 (supplementary information)For French youth, does their desire for alcohol change depending on the context in which alcohol is portrayed in the film?surveyThe results showed that when alcohol was depicted in a positive context, i.e., a sign of friendship or a festive scene, it increased the desire to consume alcohol, while when it was depicted in a negative context, i.e., one involving alcohol dependence or violence, it discouraged consumption.

*3As for the number of deaths, cigarettes are more common (alcohol isabout300allCigarettes are responsible for about 1,000 deaths due to passive smoking.120Including 10,000,000 peopleabout800all(See the introduction). But as stated in the introduction,2This description is made because the number of deaths and disabilities caused by the two is about the same. 

*4lobbyingrefers to all activities performed for the purpose of directly or indirectly influencing the formulation or implementation of policies and decision-making processes regarding legislative or regulatory activities.

Writer: Yusui Sugita