Rampant Alcoholism Endangers Kyrgyz Gene Pool
Posted on: Thursday, 4 August 2005, 09:01 CDT
Excerpt from report by Kyrgyz radio on 4 August
[Presenter] Kyrgyzstan is becoming a country of rampant alcoholism, acting Deputy Prime Minister Ishengul Boldzhurova said at a plenary meeting of the inter-sectoral council on preventing alcoholism and drug addiction today. Correspondent Rahat Kenesheva reports.
[Correspondent] According to official statistics, currently there are about 7,000-8,000 drug addicts in Kyrgyzstan. However, if we look at estimated figures we will make certain that these statistics are very far from the reality. For example, according to unofficial statistics, the army of drug addicts in Kyrgyzstan is more than 100,000. Statistics for alcoholism are also worrying. According to the World Health Organization, the consumption of five litres of strong alcoholic drinks a year is considered to be normal. However, around 42m litres of vodka were sold in our country last year alone. If we divide this figure into the number of adult people, who are 2.5m in our country, 16 litres of vodka accounted for every person in Kyrgyzstan last year. In other words, we have beaten almost all records. A government session today discussed ways of tackling these two problems that directly affect the health of every Kyrgyz people and the nation's gene pool. Acting Deputy Prime Minister Ishengul Boldzhurova speaks.
[Boldzhurova] We can say that Kyrgyzstan has already become a country of rampant alcoholism.
[Correspondent] The situation relating to drug addiction is also alarming. The number of drug addicts is increasing every year. However, the state has find, as the world practice shows, quite an efficient method of reducing the risk [of drug addiction]. This is the so-called alternative therapy. Doctors prescribe a medicine called methadone to drug addicts. After taking it, drug addicts will quit their thirst for drugs which are considered banned.
[Passage omitted: methadone was invented in Germany during World War II]
Source: BBC Monitoring Central Asia
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