Alcoholism in Canada
Alcoholism does not discriminate between races and economic conditions. A country as big as Canada, like other major regions, also experiences problems related to addiction. The nation also has its share of alcohol drinking-related problems.
Alcohol dependence by the number
An estimated four percent of the Canadian population, aged over 15, are said to be suffering from alcoholism or are alcohol dependent. Statistics also show that there are more alcoholics among the male population than there are in the female population.
Surveys showed that the highest percentage of drinking problems occur among people aged between 20 and 24 and that about a fifth of the nation's alcoholics have admitted that their drinking problems have caused job-related and financial problems at one time or another.
Drinking pattern
Canada is considered a beer drinking nation, as most Canadians prefer beer over hard liquor or spirits. Beer and ale are the primary alcoholic drinks served and consumed in Canada. Although exact data is not available, it has been estimated that 21st century Canadians drink less than people in earlier centuries.
Impact of alcohol consumption
Based on hospital and medical records, more than two thousand Canadians die from liver cirrhosis, while hundreds more pass away due to alcohol-related causes such as vehicular accidents and poisoning.
Statistics also showed that those who die from cirrhosis are mostly from urban areas and that the number of deaths by this liver disease increases in conjunction with age. The western and northern regions of Canada are considered as the areas where the highest percentage of alcohol drinking occurs.
The battle against alcohol abuse
There are a number of alcohol treatment programs for alcoholism launched all throughout the country designed to fight the problem of alcohol abuse and its effect on the health of the population and its negative social impact. These programs come in various forms and types and are handled by different associations and facilities.
Alcoholics Anonymous is one of the biggest programs in the country that address the issue of alcohol dependence. There are also a handful of programs sponsored by the government and other private institutions that are associated with public health care facilities which offer help to alcoholics and their families.
Alcoholism does exist in Canada, much like in any other countries around the world. The nation is addressing this problem through a series of programs and assistance designed to help alcoholics and the people around them.
Institutions that treat alcoholism directly comprise almost half of the total number of programs for alcohol abuse in Canada. Other organizations also help by providing referrals to facilities that offer treatment and by offering counseling services to alcoholics and their family members.
References
http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0000126
http://www.ledgehill.com/resources/addiction-info/alcoholism-in-canada/
