ABSTRACT
Alcohol has always played a central role in a variety of different cultural practices. It has been consumed for intoxication purposes, but has also been used for medicinal, symbolic and ritualistic purposes. The positive attitudes towards alcohol are entrenched into sharp relief when people compare alcohol with other psychoactive drugs; alcohol laws in many countries are liberal in comparison to those governing other psychoactive substances. According to the World Health Organization's (WHO) global status report on alcohol and health in 2014, alcohol is causally implicated in more than 200 health conditions including HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis. Drinking alcohol also increases the chances of becoming a victim of more serious crime. Testa and Livingston found that binge drinking is a significant risk factor for becoming a victim of rape. Many of the conditions caused by alcohol are chronic, brought about by excessive habitual use. These chronic health issues were thought to affect only older drinkers, but are increasingly affecting younger drinkers.
