(Jerzy Mellibruda, Tajemnice ETOH, Warsaw, 1993)
For time immemorial and every day, beverages containing alcohol have been present as our civilization developed – already Neolithic humans used alcoholic beverages during ritual ceremonies, and the oldest historical records contain much information about brewing and drinking beer 5,000 years ago in Mesopotamia.
They appear alongside us in the first days of our lives – because the celebration of our birth takes place amid toasts and the clinking of glasses.
When our lives end, alcohol will probably be consumed to honor our memory by those close to us at the wake.
Between these two moments, there will be thousands of situations in which beer mugs, wine glasses or vodka glasses evoke moods, emotion, a feeling of lightness, relaxation, excitement, relief from suffering, cheerfulness in the face of disappointment, irritation, anger, pain, despair, disgust and fear.
Among these situations are New Year’s toasts, atmospheric dates, housewarming parties in a new apartment, celebrations of promotions, singing together at a name-day table, late-night conversations among men, the celebration of important ceremonies and holidays, diplomatic receptions, and the launching of ships.
But there are also terrifying nights at home filled with children’s crying, the despair of betrayed and beaten wives, fatal car accidents, morning hangovers and delirium filled with fear and hallucinations, suicides and livers beyond saving."
The quotation above illustrates the “scope” within which alcohol operates. In other words, it concerns all the situations and areas of life in which it may accompany each of us every day. It is obvious to everyone that the effects of alcohol always adversely affect the process of making sound decisions – in general, it is a poor adviser in life. Since the beginning of this column, you have all followed accounts of other people’s dramatic road and life events. Alcohol is often the cause of the misfortunes described. Every year in this column I provide the grim statistics on the “effects of alcohol.” In 1994, this “perpetrator” ruined the life plans of 423 intoxicated drivers of motor vehicles, who were banned from driving any vehicles for periods ranging from 6 months to 3 years.
How many families’ present and future life plans has alcohol disrupted at this very moment?
There are ongoing disputes about the operation of retail outlets selling alcohol around the clock, the number of such outlets, and their concentration on the map of Bolesławiec. But is quantity really the problem? It seems to me that it is not. The point is not for alcohol to be entirely unavailable for sale, for example around the clock. The point is for its sale to take place in accordance with the law and moral standards (including unwritten law). Speaking of morality, I think many readers will agree with me that, for example, if my underage child comes home from a party visibly having consumed alcohol, I have a stern, man-to-man talk with her, which usually ends with me imposing some prohibition or other sanctions. I do not think that the alcohol must have been bought somewhere first. Every day we see groups of “kids” buying beer and other alcoholic beverages in shops. We observe this from the position of “standing on the sidelines.” Perhaps that is because it does not concern my child. Of course, we are outraged that such young people can buy alcohol and that the saleswoman or salesman does not check identity documents at the point of sale. We know that whenever the seller has doubts, they should check. After all, every shop selling alcohol is required to display a sign reading “We do not sell alcohol to persons under 18.” And what happens? Nothing. Kids buy alcohol, sellers sell it, and we stand there outraged. I think we all need to understand one thing:
- selling or serving alcohol to minors is prohibited by law; severe penalties await those who fail to observe these prohibitions. There are conditions governing the sale of alcohol, set out in the license or permit, that cannot be violated.
At this point I can already hear at least a dozen voices saying: “That is obvious, the prohibitions are being violated, so where is the police?
This is only part of the truth, because there cannot be a police officer permanently present in every shop or restaurant. “Immoral” sales will not take place in front of a police officer.
It is time for the former “fight against alcoholism,” and today’s resolution of alcohol-related problems, to finally become a public matter.