World | India
30 per cent of Indian men drink liquor
About 30 per cent of men and a little less than 5 per cent of women consume alcohol in India, as most start drinking at the age of 20 years, the Lok Sabha was informed on Wednesday.
- IANS
- Published: 00:15 April 17, 2008
New Delhi: About 30 per cent of men and a little less than 5 per cent of women consume alcohol in India, as most start drinking at the age of 20 years, the Lok Sabha was informed on Wednesday.
Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Panabaka Lakshmi said the government is "cognisant of the fact that consumption of alcohol in excessive amounts can lead to social, economic and health related problems".
Quoting a study conducted by the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (Nimhans) for the World Health Organisation (WHO), which was published in 2006, she said the study showed that nearly 30 per cent of adult men and less than 5 per cent of women consume alcohol - giving a male to female ratio of 6:1.
"Alcohol use is higher in poor communities. The average age of initiation has reduced from 28 years during the 80s to 20 years in recent years," she said.
She said through the de-addiction centres, people are provided clinical care, counselling and rehabilitation. These centres also create awareness, she added.
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