A few years ago, a report was published about alcohol consumption per capita in Latin America & the Caribbean (LAC), indicating that Saint Lucia and at least two other Caribbean nations had the highest level of alcohol consumption in LAC. Among the population aged 15 years and older, around 9.5 litres of pure alcohol per capita was being consumed yearly.
The report, while quite telling, drew less than shocking responses from John Public. In fact, rather than treating this as a serious public health concern, some responded with humour, turning the issue into memes and social media commentary, as if to suggest it was something to be proud of.
Today, the situation by all accounts has become far worse, with an increase in not only alcohol consumption by the youth (including minors) but also the use of tobacco (often used to mix with marijuana) and, more recently, vapes.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the use of these are all major risk factors for adverse health and social outcomes as well as for non-communicable diseases later in life.
This is also placing a burden on our health care systems, which have seen numerous young people having to be treated for drug and alcohol abuse, including kidney and liver problems, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and psychosis related issues.
Many have linked the increase in use of alcohol, cigarettes and vaping to an increase in social activities and events in Saint Lucia year-round. At many of these events, particularly in rural communities, there are no age restrictions on the sale or consumption of alcohol and cigarettes by minors.
The legal drinking age in Saint Lucia is 18.
In recent years, there has been much discussion, though often superficial, about the pervasive “rum culture” in the country. This culture dominates nearly every social event, from christenings and First Communion celebrations to Christmas, Carnival, Jounen Kweyol, La Rose and La Marguerite – the list goes on. Rarely is there a clear distinction between child-friendly gatherings and adult-oriented activities, creating an environment where early exposure to alcohol becomes normalised. As a result, the transition to heavy drinking and even drug use can begin as early as age 13.
It is undeniable that besides crime and violence, the abuse of alcohol and cigarettes has not only whipped our youth into a stupor but is destroying them slowly. Societal acceptance makes it even deadlier.
The most recent report on alcohol consumption indicated that more than 45 per cent of youth partake in alcohol. This early use and its subsequent abuse and misuse are said to have negative impacts on the health of the population.
We have certainly seen both young males and females being affected by liver cirrhosis, cancer, mental and neurological disorders, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, stroke and heart-related conditions due to alcohol abuse.
Some of the vehicular injuries and road accidents we have been witnessing in recent times have also been attributed to persons driving under the influence.
Numerous cases of COPD from excessive smoking are also being reported.
Many of our young people think that alcohol takes away their stress, makes them seem cool, and some think it makes them happy. Many of our songs also promote that thinking and the rum culture. Remove the words rum and drinking from the dictionary, and many carnival songs would be quite vacuous.
And so, we keep dancing away, fete after fete, with little to no care about the implications. Meanwhile, we have been speaking about breathalyser tests to curb drunk driving; still, nothing. We have been talking about enforcing the age limit for purchasing and consuming alcohol – again, more talk, little action.
As we move from one major festival – the Saint Lucia Jazz & Arts Festival – to Lucian Carnival, it is crucial to dispel the notion that these events exist solely to foster a culture of excessive drinking. Authorities must intensify efforts to promote responsible alcohol consumption, curb binge drinking and strictly enforce underage drinking laws.
This responsibility extends beyond government action. Event organisers must play their part by mandating ID checks without exception, while vendors should uphold strict policies against selling alcohol, tobacco and vaping products to minors. Law enforcement must ensure compliance, holding all parties accountable.
Continued inaction on this issue will place an unsustainable burden on our healthcare system, and worse, jeopardise the well-being of our youth, the very backbone of our nation’s productivity. If it is true that a healthy nation is a wealthy nation, then failure to act now will only lead us deeper into the clutches of poverty.
