The three phases of drinking

There have been several instances in my life when I thought it opportune to write a few lines to air my feelings on a number of issues but I never actually got down to putting pen to paper.

This time, however, I just cannot let the end-of-year events and, in particular, the horrible death of a young 19-year-old, pass without making a few remarks. My own son is just a year older.

I was having dinner at the Waterfront, Valletta on December 31, 2005. Finished eating just before midnight, my wife and I went out to join the crowd which was gearing to welcome 2006 with great enthusiasm and eagerness. A few minutes into 2006, we were astonished at the number of young males and females sprawling on the ground and very visibly sick, right at the edge of the man-made lake. I put emphasis on the word "sick" because this is more or less the third phase in the cycle of drinking alcohol.

The party at the Waterfront started about 9.30/10 p.m. This means that in under two hours the youngsters we saw sprawled on the ground went through all three phases in quick succession after the commencement of drinking; the tipsy feeling, the drunken feeling and the sick feeling.

I consider the number of sick (not drunk) youngsters as being too high considering that a few of the youngsters spoken to stated that they did not drink more than the quantity they normally consume at other localities on other dates. I have been told that the situation at MCC was very similar. It was at this site that the unfortunate fourth phase of the drinking cycle occurred - related accidents and deaths.

I am not against partying, far from it, however, I am all for controls and checks not after but before the events get off the ground. Do the persons who issue the permits actually visit the venues? Do they check if there are emergency exits and how many of them are there? Do they calculate the capacity of the venues? Have they any control on the number of tickets issued? Are medics required on site? Is the number of police officers sufficient for the size of the expected crowd? How secure and safe are the premises? Are the organisers covered by insurance policies?

The other side of the coin is that these organised parties are nothing more than organised mass binge drinking sessions. Binge drinking can be defined as drinking eight plus units for men and six plus units for women with young people inclined more to this pattern of behaviour with more than 39 per cent of men and 24 per cent of women in the 16-24 age groups.

According to Time magazine of December 19, 2005, binge drinking is sweeping across Europe where the age people start drinking is 11.8 years for Europeans who are students, compared to 15 for those who are now aged 40 to 54. Seventy five per cent of those aged 15 to 24 drink mainly or only while not eating a meal.

Studies show that those who engage in this type of drinking are rarely motivated to change. An international Genacis study on gender and drinking found that people feel ambivalent about the adverse effects of binge drinking. Many people seem prepared to accept the negative experiences as the "price they pay for enjoying their drinking". For a significant proportion of young people binge drinking is not simply a youthful phase but a possible precursor of later, harmful drinking behaviour.

What is the government's policy and what are the government agencies and NGOs doing in this regard?

Like the rest of Europe, drinking is on the increase in Malta. Knowing that any action in the form of taxes would have a political effect as it would affect the voting adult population and, therefore, not pursued, it is imperative that an alternative educational plan be implemented immediately.

The central government should breathe heavily down its own agencies' neck and other NGOs in order that they embark on such a programme without delay since such programmes take years to show the desired results.

In the meantime, the government or the police should very seriously review the procedures set down for the granting of the relative permits.