ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION AMONG YOUTH IN CHITRAL

Abstract

Alcohol consumption is prohibited in Pakistan but its consumption has been highly observed among the youth in ChUral. Its consumption increases during various social events and festivals. The existing literature indicated that there were several reasons of alcohol consumption among the youth in Pakistan. They include social isolation, stressfid environment, peer pressure and social acceptance among the peers (friends). There were also several detrimental effects of alcohol consumption. The social, economic and health related harms of alcohol consumption have made it a global issue. It has been responsible for problems like family disruption, problems at work place and criminal conviction and it also increases the risk of Alcohol Used Disorders. The Interactional Theory and the Social Learning Theory provides the theoretical framework to the current study and they have their application in universe of current study. A qualitative research was conducted to investigate the phenomenon where Participant observation (type of qualitative research) was conducted while considering the nature of the topic. The data was collected in the form of detailed interviews through purposive sampling. The collected data were coded through MaxQDA, in order to generate the themes of the study. The current study highlighted that alcohol consumption becomes the desire among the youth in various social events. They use to take it while imitating each other. It is considered a drug, having a sign of pride with it and the youth use to take it with pride. Those youth even accepts the words of stigmatization like nebehyl (disobeyer) and namurad (looser) for the sake of alcohol. They are going to become the accepted norm among the alcohol using youth. The alcohol using youth labels the non-alcohol users with words like beghairat (debase). Along with these factors, the religious diverse views of the youth about the consumption of alcohol have also been contributing factor of alcohol consumption among them. Similarly, the ineffective role of police and their involvement in the illegal dealing of drugs like alcohol has also encouraged the youth to consume it. Alcohol consumption among the youth is accounted for its several harms on the society. The current research has also highlighted adverse effects of alcohol consumption on society. The intoxicated youth have been involved in committing different deviancies in the society. Conflicts, fights and the use of abusive language have been the common deviancies committed particularly during events, ceremonies and f estivals. The alcohol using youth have also been responsible for criminal activities like theft and robbery.