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Alcoholism–
Worldwide Tragedy
Alcoholism among youths ís a
growing, worldwide problem.
England:
Dr. Max Glatt, Vice–
Chairman of the Medica! Council
of Alcoholism and consultant psy–
chiatrist at England's largest alco–
holics' hospital unit, points out
that convictions for drunkenness
against people under 21 have risen
from 5,000 in 1958 to 12,000 in
1968.
If
drunkenness has more
than doubled in lO years, it is im–
plied that alcoholism among
youths has also significantly in–
creased.
Scotland:
Alcoholism among teen–
age Scots is reported in "chronic
proportions" by autborities. The
worst areas for heavy drinking
among youths are Glasgow,
Greenock, Dundee, Paisley and
Oban, said John Gray, Director of
the Glasgow Council on Alcohol–
ism. ''There has been a tremen–
dous explosion of heavy drinking
among youngsters," he added.
Poland:
A Warsaw study in 1971
reported that alcoholism is a more
serious threat to adolescents than
it is to adults, as young people
have a greater sensitivity to alco–
hol, and they have a greater por–
tion of their lives to lose. The study
reported that Alcoholics Anony–
mous groups in the country have
original Greek word translated
"wine" meant "fermented wine," as
any Greek lexicon will show.
Although sorne religions attempt
to condemn all use of alcoholic bev–
erages and view drinking in exclu–
sively emotional terms, the Bible
PlAIN TRUTH April 1973
no etfective way of reaching the
young. The best method is through
youth clubs operating throughout
the country. The 12,000 clubs have
half a rniUion members.
France:
In France, alcoholism an–
nually claims 35,000 lives and is
the third leading cause of death.
Alcoholism is responsible for 30
percent of the traffic accidents in
París, reported
Le Figaro,
and
many ofthese are caused by young
people.
Le Monde
reported that
among French youth, alcohol was
responsible for 9 percent of the
road accidents during 1971. One
French alcoholic said bis parents
died when he was three, and he
was reared by an aunt who owned
a pub. "1 was just glutted wi th
wine; my aunt got drunk on white
wine, and 1 got stoned for the first
time at age 12."
Germany:
A Munich magazine has
pointed to the large percentage of
youths among the 600,000 alcohol–
ics in West Germany. The medica!
journal mentioned tha t about
50,000 West German youths -
many of them not yet 17 years old
- are alcohol addicts, and the
number is rising.
M exico:
Alcoholics Anonymous in
Mexico claims that perbaps one
out of five Mexican adults has a
itself - if studied objectively and
honestly - shows tbat drinking
in
moderation
is not wrong. But drink–
ing to excess is wrong - a very defi–
nite sin.
Wine was a commonly used prod–
uct in ancient Israel and was used in
problem wi th alcohol. Just how
many of these are youths was not
reported. Thirty percent of all
deaths and 25 percent of all di–
vorces in Mexico are attributed, in
part, to alcobolism.
Hungary:
The significance of alco–
holism and family conflicts as a
cause of suicides has doubled since
before World War II. Hungary has
one of the world's highest suicide
rates, as well as one of the world's
highest divorce rates, and a serious
problem with alcoholism. Alcohol–
ism among youths is also serious.
Spain:
Every morning thousands of
Spanish men line up at bars and
cafes for coffee and slugs of
brandy, anise and gin.
An
esti–
mated two rnillion Spaniards are
alcoholics.
Russia:
The Soviet Union has ad–
mitted a serious problem witb al–
coholism among working men and
has launched a determined etfort
to curtail the prob1em. But alco–
holism shows no signs of dimin–
ishing. Russian men and women
love their vodka, and Russian
teen-agers tend to mimic their par–
ents. Drunkenness
is
a serious
problem in Moscow and other ma–
jor Soviet ci ties, and Soviet youths
are responsible for a large share of
tbe cases.
o
celebrating the festivals of God. In
the New Testament, Jesus Christ
Himself performed His fi.rst re–
corded miracle by turning water
into wine at a gala wedding recep–
tion (see John, chapter 2).
Viewed from Biblical terms,
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