Is Zimbabwe Becoming Alcoholic

Alcoholic beverages are a significant part of many cultures and Zimbabwe is no exception, we simply love to drink.

I had my first real glass of booze in high school. At variety shows and rugby games it was not unusual to see young boys mixing their bombers in secret places and sharing a bottle of Vodka mixed with soft drinks.

I enjoyed drinking spirits mixed with soft drinks, not just for the taste but it also made me feel less guilty about my underage drinking. At least there was sprite or cherry-plum in my booze instead of going straight for the brown bottle.

The drinking began casually in form one at the age of 13 years to be exact. By the time we got to form four and upper sixth when most boys are just about 18 years old, most of my classmates had become what are commonly defined in drinking circles as German Tankers in other words seasoned alcohol drinkers. I remember one boy who was able to finish a crate or 24 bottle of beer in one sitting.

It seems the drinking for most men I know has continued since those high school days, most guys drink alarming amounts of alcohol and I know a few ladies who stand their own ground when it comes to their drinking.

Now don’t get me wrong, drinking plays a role in human social interaction but the reality is alcohol is drug that has a depressant effect. It can mess you up big time if you are not careful and also it can be very addictive.

While some drink to have fun some drink to forget, yet both can lead to a dependency that has disastrous personal effects. Sadly many people in Zimbabwe have become so dependant on alcohol and don’t really see it as a disease. We could have an alcoholism problem in Zimbabwe that is growing right under our noses.

Since Christmas comes in less than a month and everyone is in the festive mood lets make sure as we drink we drink responsibly.Please take time to take alcohol drinking problem self-assessment to check if you need help with your drinking.

http://alcoholism.about.com/od/tests/l/blquiz_alcohol.htm

I don’t think National Breweries and African Distillers will like this article very much.