This refers to the article, “Is prohibition a good idea” (May 15) by Pramod Pathak. Complete ban on the production and sale of alcohol, while reducing total consumption, does not imply that alcohol is not available in a particular State.
While complete prohibition has been a failure in many States, the current permissiveness without the enforcement of regulations also represents a lack of responsibility from a public health perspective.
Indian society and Governments must focus on a long-term view of issues and plan a coordinated and comprehensive approach. We need to design our laws and policies in such a way that we face minimal loss due to alcoholism.