Binge drinking discouraged by pub owners?!

Categories: Singapore

Pubs discouraging their clients from binge drinking? Yes that is precisely what a group of pub owners are doing. They have come together and formed the Bars Against Binge Drinking Association. But if you think these pub owners are conscientious and responsible, think again. These pub owners are simply fed-up with the binge drinkers because they tend to be rowdy, mess up the place with their vomitus or simply just be a plain nuisance to the other clients from disinhibition that comes with too much alcohol. However don't belittle their efforts because by discouraging binge drinking, they have to suffer loss of income, because binge drinkers are big spenders.

Whatever their intentions, the Association's actions should be encouraged. According to a National Health Survey, binge drinking has nearly double that of 1998, with a rise from 5.1% in 2003 to 10% in 2004. Women binging nearly tripled during the same period. Hence the social impact binge drinking can bring.

The campaign initiated by the Association is a simple one. Put up posters that show how a person behaves when he had too much drink. By seeing themselves in the posters, it is hoped that they will be made to realise how silly they are when they are stone drunk. I feel that this is probably a very good move as drunks seldom remember what happened during the 'high' period. They should be made to realise how silly and 'low' class they looked like when they loose their disinhibition.

Having worked in the A&E department, I will relate just two of the more memorable incidents. There was this man who was dressed very smartly with tie and long-sleeve, obviously had a good time after work. The reason why he was brought to the A&E was because he was having severe gastric pain. While waiting to be seen by the doctor, he was seen hurling profanities to everyone who goes near him. Boy, what extensive vocabulary he had! The best must be this incident. This man was brought in by police for blood test for alcohol level. No.... I shall save this for later.

Drinking excessive alcohol in general should be discouraged. This is because not only will it harm the health, it will also expose one to vulnerability. It is well-known that women had been raped after binging session. Limbs have been broken because they fell into drains, or just walked into the path of on-coming cars. Such incidents if they occur is just their fault. However sometimes innocent by-standers got injured because of actions of binge drinkers. Most pertinent are drink drivers. These drivers are so drunk that their vision maybe affected, the reaction time slowed or just plain oblivious to their surroundings while driving! If you have watched some of the police videos on AXN, you will know exactly what I mean.

Coming back to the story. This man was brought in by the police for a blood alcohol level. He actually looked sober enough although his eyes were blood-shot. When asked why he was arrested, he said that he did not know. He said that he had parked his car and was sleeping in the car when the police arrested him. So when the police was asked the reason, lo and behold, they agreed that he was sleeping in his parked car! Only problem was his 'parked' car was actually in the right most lane of the expressway!!!

So now you know why binge drinking should be strongly discouraged......