Reply To:
Name - Reply Comment
Last Updated : 2024-05-19 23:42:00
14 December 2023 06:48 am - 15 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Colombo, Dec.14 (Daily Mirror) - The Government announcement of flexible opening hours of bars and liquor stores as a result of budget reading 2024 and its implications on the alcohol industry has a serious impact on health and economy of the country, the ADIC said yesterday.
Alcohol and Drug Information Centre (ADIC) Executive Director Sampath De Seram addressing a press briefing said flexible opening hours clearly contribute to an overall increase in alcohol consumption due to heightened availability, thereby rendering it a potentially counterproductive strategy.
“Irrespective of whether the product is legal or illicit, alcohol itself is harmful in every aspect. Therefore, the government should be taking the required steps to reduce the overall alcohol consumption in the country,” he said.
The ADIC Sri Lanka has been engaged in demand reduction of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs in the country for over 30 years. “We are dedicated to providing accurate awareness information to the public regarding the health, social, economic and environmental consequences associated with the consumption of these substances,” De Seram said.
According to the data from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Ministry of Health every eight out of 10 deaths in Sri Lanka are categorized as preventable deaths. Tobacco and alcohol use have been identified as two major risk factors, which are responsible for these preventable deaths, where approximately 40-50 deaths per day occur due to alcohol use.
“Currently, alcohol is clearly a large burden to the country’s economy. In the year 2022, the excise revenue from alcohol tax was Rs.165.2 billion. Yet, the ‘Investment Case for Alcohol Control in Sri Lanka’, conducted by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) reported that the health and economic loss incurred on the government due to alcohol use is Rs.237 billion.
Moreover, the citizens of our country spend Rs.590 million per day on beer and arrack and Rs.380 million per day on cigarettes, which results in a large overall economic burden.
Amidst this situation, a massive amount of money that can be earned as tax revenue to the government from alcohol and tobacco companies is being lost due to the lack of a rational tax policy for alcohol and tobacco products,” he further said.
sl Thursday, 14 December 2023 07:14 AM
Can't ADIC do anything about illicit liquor? Let people enjoy quality liquor as they wish. In developed countries, you can buy liquor at any hour at grocery stores. Is it true that severe health problems may caused by drugs. But mostly from illegal products like kassippu
Ranil-the king of sleaze. Thursday, 14 December 2023 07:23 AM
Who cares about the welfare of the people? As long as the pohotuwa politicians with bar licences are looking after the Ranil rajapaksa criminal syndicate will flourish.
Sambo Thursday, 14 December 2023 07:53 AM
Our governments do not care a hell of the peoples health. They only want taxes to fill their pockets. They might even plan a 24 hour door to door service to promote sales.
Dee Thursday, 14 December 2023 08:16 AM
Get a life guys! What do you want? Get our population hooked on illicit hooch?
Wixie Thursday, 14 December 2023 08:21 AM
Advice of ADIC favourable to the Illicit liquor trade
Sokrates Thursday, 14 December 2023 08:36 AM
This stupid calculation doesn't add up. Longer and more flexible opening hours will not increase alcohol consumption. (Sales of legal alcohol may increase, but sales of illegal alcohol decrease) People also don't have more money to spend on alcohol due to the flexible opening hours. However, this should only be the first step in the right direction. The end result must be a complete abolition of the Excise laws and every shop, every bar, every restaurant, every railway restaurant, every hotel and guesthouse must be allowed to sell alcohol of any kind and at any time without any licensing. This minimizes crime and the sale of kassipu, which is extremely harzardous to health. There is no doubt that alcohol and tobacco are harmful to health, but in a democracy every person must be able to decide whether to drink or smoke themselves to death.
Lawry Thursday, 14 December 2023 08:56 AM
Those who drink pay tax upfront. Manufacturer pockets the tax. Then pay their tax dues only after years in instalments. They are the cream of society.
Lalith Thursday, 14 December 2023 09:55 AM
Soon wicked vickram may decide to pump alcohol through water pipe as it will reach one and all and help the producer make enormous profits as sri loanka goes literally down the drain
Mark anandappa Thursday, 14 December 2023 10:12 AM
Whether you extend or impose a time limit those who wanna consume will find a way to have them , get a life. It is only in SL you have all those none-sense.
Citizen who loves a drink Thursday, 14 December 2023 10:33 AM
Opening hours of bars and liquor stores. Few weeks back notification liquor stores to be opened from 6am.normally a bar (hotels or public bar) is opened after 11.30am .Thats a time a human being wants to have a drink.Obviously a daily drinking addict or a drunk has a shot at 6.30 am in unlawful places.Simply bar should be opened after 11.30 am and closing at night times what is applicable now. A man takes a drink every few days and on and off a heavy drink thats fine.Every one likes to have a drink and you are mentally happy after a hard days week .He does not want to know about govt.revenue due to same and harmful effects to his body.
Rob Thursday, 14 December 2023 10:50 AM
Western world enjoy a drink after a hard day at work....alcohol and alcolics are two difrent things many countries enjoy a drink and a smoke pubs clubs restaurants are packed with people every day and night its about balance develop nations have mechanism for people to have a like style and effortability the earning colum much larger than expense colum its other way round in this part of the world if basic essentials for humans done accordingly the economy will help to provid nessorory
dondee Thursday, 14 December 2023 10:59 AM
Illicit liquor is the problem. And if you look at it sugars, unregulalted food additives cause more harm. Adults must be allowed to make choices. countries such as portugal who have fully relaxed rules on alchohol and drugs alongside better health and mental care have seen huge improvements. Controlling is not the way. ADIC needs to develop a service that is more in tune with the realities of today.
Karalasingam Sivalingam Thursday, 14 December 2023 07:53 PM
It is a well known fact that alcohol affects health, but illicit brew is 100% injuries to health, to counter illicit brew, selling poisonous arrack at long hours would prevent poisoning brews being consumed, beer and wine could be sold in every shop, which has less alcohol content, even ladies prefer them, concentrate on harmful chemical being injected on fruits,visit Delkanda pola,you will be surprised, every vendor harmed with a spray can, where are the PHIi?
Nimal Friday, 15 December 2023 07:48 AM
Of course and it will have very serious impacts on the behaviour and ethics of our people, though the notorious ganja madam is highly elated about these matters.
Spartacus Friday, 15 December 2023 07:59 AM
ADIC is not inbibing habits of humans. The chap who has money and wants to drink, will do that at his convenience. If he misses buying on one day, he will still save it and buy it the next day. Consumption has no reason to increase because the opening hours have changed. But we Sinhalese are culturally heavy consumers of alcohol and also very indiciplined in comparison to other nationalities. This means, we may spend drinking late at a bar without care and not think about responsibilities of work the next day.
Add comment
Comments will be edited (grammar, spelling and slang) and authorized at the discretion of Daily Mirror online. The website also has the right not to publish selected comments.
Reply To:
Name - Reply Comment
The state-run loss-making State Mortgage & Investment Bank (SMIB) has reveale
US authorities are currently reviewing the manifest of every cargo aboard MV
On March 26, a couple arriving from Thailand was arrested with 88 live animal
According to villagers from Naula-Moragolla out of 105 families 80 can afford
17 May 2024 - 0 - 136
