Ban on Alcohol: Kashmiri Muslims hold firm to the directions of Islam
The liquor industry may be worth more than Rs.25000 crores for manufacturers in India. May it be worth another Rs.25000 crores of another direct / indirect taxes for the GOI / State Governments. But the loss the alcohol consumption directly / indirectly cause to Indian economy would surely be more than Rs.200000 crore. Islam prohibits all intoxicants including alcohol at all places, at all times. Can any one imagine Jesus, Moses, Jacob or Abraham getting intoxicated any time? Jain, Budha, Sikh saints too advised mankind to stay be away from intoxicants . I am not here to debate the claims for and against drinking ( alcohol consumption for normal human beings). But I would share my views on the affect of production, sale and consumption of liquor on the socio- economic health of a developing economy like India.

The bad affect of liquor consumption on the economic health of family could be seen by comparing the conditions of poor people in Jammu Region and Kashmir Valley. The living and eating standards of common people in Kashmir valley are better. The open market liquor sales in Kashmir Valley are very very less as compared to Jammu region. It is not due to the fact that people in valley are more educated and have lesser economic / social stresses. But it is due to the social customs in Kashmir valley where majority population is Muslim. The muslims are more religious minded than the Hindu or Christians. Islam firmly lays down prohibition on consuming alcohol. Though Hindu scriptures and saints too advise against consumption of liquor but there are no ultimate directions against drinking. Where as Islam firmly directs against alcohol and Kashmiri muslims go by the directions of Islam. There may be some individuals who going with high society norms consume alcohol. But most of the poor and average common Kashmiri muslim do not drink alcohol and they consider it a social Islamic ill. Therefore the poor labour earning Rs. 100 day often spend Rs.70 to 80 on the food, clothing and shelter of his family and may spend hardly Rs.10 to 15 on tobacco . Where as many in Hindu majority areas of Jammu may be spending Rs. 60 to 80 on liquor out of rupees hundred earned.. This results in growing poverty, ill treated family members, school drop outs, unhygienic living conditions and insecurity towards any future financial or physical handicap..

Some studies have shown that men in India could be found about 25 times more likely regular smokers as compared to women. As regards alcohol (drinking) men could be only 10 times more. Members of scheduled castes and tribes (recognized economically disadvantaged groups) are found more likely resorting to regular use of alcohol. Use of alcohol as intoxicant is rather growing in urban rich segment including women. Males with incomes below the poverty line have relatively higher levels of day to day social odds forcing them to take to drinking. Lack of awareness is surely the cause. But hundreds of crores of rupees have been spent by GOI through government departments and NGOs for awareness generation but the effect on ground has been slow and meager. The regular use of both tobacco and illicit alcohol has been found increasing amongst those with low income. Growing liquor consumption in rich class as well as the youth may not be for reasons of economic stresses only..

Its not that tipplers are not aware of the adverse effect of alcohol on health and economy of a family, it is the surroundings and circumstances in which they live that makes the difference.

Smoking has been banned in public places in India. The manufacturers are even under legal obligation to print anti smoking slogans on the tobacco / cigarette packs. No doubt the restricted use of tobacco surely adds to improving of the economy of a family, particularly poor. In addition to reducing the daily pocket expenses, indirect financial benefits also result through reduced expenses on medicines and increased number of the working days for an individual. Ban on alcohol would yield larger dividends.

So simply one can say that expenditure on smoking results in loss of money, dangers to health, loss of earning hands for a family in case of serious illness like cancer/ TB etc. And to add to this the indirect damage done to the passive non smokers around too has these days attracted the attention of the government for ordering ban on smoking in public places. But production, sale and consumption of tobacco products is not banned. The production continues, and so do the sales. No doubt many would even suggest total ban on production of tobacco product as is on the drugs like heroine.

Smoking is considered a minor vice and is not socially that much abused as is consumption of heroine or alcohol/ liquor. The damage that liquor consumption does to economy of a country like India is much more than what would cigarette smoking do. Where drinking is prohibited the check on the promotion of social crimes is surely much more than what a ban on smoking cigarette or tobacco consumption could do. Liquor consumption has serious affect on the liver, heart and nervous system. Liquor consumption causes more damage to economically weaker sections.

Liquor consumption is more killing for the economy of the poor families. The labour class / low income people are often found spending three forth of their daily income on the alcohol. The children / family starves. The health of other family members too deteriorates. The social traditions and standards are adversely affected. The education of the children too is badly affected. The bearing and nursing mothers are neglected and hence the child and mother mortality rate could be more. Any sample study in the urban and rural backward areas of any Indian State like J&K would reveal that those earning about Rs. 100 per day form a large chunk of population and many from them consume liquor. Some of them even consume toxic locally produced unhygienic Desi Sharaab. Some consume the Indian made foreign liquor. Even government is selling liquor. The argument given by Government is that in case government does come in the market with cheaper liquor, the unlawful distillers would sell toxic cheap liquor to the poor people. And ofcourse selling liquor and allowing marketing of liquor is a big source of revenue income for the Government.

But times today demand a review. India has over 3.5 crore families below poverty line, Governments are feeling the need to provide wheat or rice to poor families in India @ Rs. 2 to Rs.3 per Kg (almost free looking at procurement cost in store landed) to be around Rs. 12 per Kg). Even in Jammu province of J&K the miserable economic condition of the labour class could be seen. A good number of the people do not have daily work available even for 200 days in a year and that too @ Rs.60 to 100 per day. This class of people are often seen consuming liquor by spending all their days earnings. Their children often sleep empty stomach. We could very easily find such children on torn clothes ,not going to schools and with pale faces more in the poor areas of Jammu region.

Even many families who otherwise have reasonable good monthly income from service or trade could be seen under social and material agony since the male members in the family are liquor addicts. So the liquor has many indirect damages to the social and economic set up that are of much larger magnitude as compared to what are caused by the vice of cigarette smoking/tobacco consumption.

So major damages that are done by consumption of liquor in developing economies like India are

1. Growing crimes against other members of society for meeting financial needs for liquor consumption
2. Outdoor Crimes against women
3. Indoor violence against women.
4. Many innocent youth and businessmen are fleeced for money by the local goons
5. the goons under the influence of liquor could be often seen in streets teasing the girls and women, and even to some youth in teens.

Growing financial needs or no regular employment for the livelihood often brings frustration in the male members of a society. To undo the pressures they take to alcohol consumption as would some one suggest them. The household environment gets polluted and inflicted with violence.

So there is utmost need for deliberating on the need for banning production, sale and consumption of liquor in India. Excise duty and sales tax may be contributing to government revenue substantially but the damage being done indirectly directly could be much more. The requirements for rehabilitation of affected families, the destitute children , for the health cover to the affected poor families , maintenance of law and order , the man days lost for the poor labour class due to over drinking and the like too keep on growing.