We live in a world where availability of illicit and potent drugs like alcohol claim lives daily. Alcohol has been part of our lifestyle for years and its damage on individuals, families, and communities is so evident. Lots of people in U.S struggle with alcohol addiction and the effects are extreme ranging from immediate to long-term health conditions, addiction has a detrimental effect on health. In the course of time, addiction not only affects individual’s health but also poisons all other aspects of life from finances, personal relationships, community involment, to responsibilities. Addiction puts an individual at high risk of accident as it affects the brain function, decision making and judgement. Despite addiction having effects on the modern society several steps have been put in place that provide awareness to people and the society.

Alcohol addiction affects families which causes intimate partner violence, family financial problems, and child abuse. Consumption of large volume of alcohol impairs decision making skills of one or both partners and children lack someone to look up to. Alcoholism has a great impact on children`s behavior as most end up traumatized and suffer from psychological problems (Smith & Wilson, 2016). Too much drinking impacts greatly to the financial stability of the family as a lot is spent on alcohol consumption. Alcohol consumption by pregnant mothers has a direct impact on the children`s health. Fetal alcohol syndrome is the main consequence of alcohol consumption by pregnant mothers and symptoms tend to be permanent.

Work performance and productivity is greatly affected by an alcohol dependent worker. Alcohol consumers tend to have more sick leaves than normal employers since alcohol increases chances of injuries and accident related incidences. Heavy drinking as well reduces overall work output due to poor personal relationships, poor sense of self direction, and impaired judgement. Heavy drinking results into loss of job hence increasing exposure to more drinking.

Unemployment is a major drawback to the development of the society therefore alcohol abuse contributes negatively to its growth.

Alcohol has both immediate and long term effect on the health of an alcoholic. Alcohol alters the normal body functions and this brings about many health problems. Long term use of alcohol affects the liver preventing removal of harmful substances from the body. This causes liver inflammation a condition called cirrhosis. Diabetes is also brought about by too much alcohol drinking as it affects the pancreases and the liver that release insulin. Inability of the body to balance sugar levels causes diabetes. Severe alcohol abuse leads to permanent brain damage a condition called Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome (Zahr & Pfefferbaum, 2017). Alcohol abuse also affects the heart and lungs bringing difficulty in circulation hence suffers from heart related diseases.

Crime and violence is one of the major pressing issues in the society today and is directly impacted by alcohol abuse. Drinking alcohol in inappropriate situation can be crime for instance, driving under the influence of alcohol. Crimes such as assault, theft or killing someone are directly linked to alcohol abuse as the drug reduces judgement and increases anger and agitation (Duke, 2018). Children who become victims of sexual abuse develop alcohol abuse disorders. Alcohol greatly affects individual response to time and action and this can put themselves and others in danger of both physical and emotional trauma. To protect everyone in the society, intoxication under certain circumstances has been made a crime.

Suitable actions to reduce alcohol abuse and addiction requires strong leadership, awareness and political will. Strengthening existing national strategies to reduce harmful use of alcohol contributes greatly to the eradication of alcohol abuse. Main institution should be established responsible for acting upon the strategies and plans by ensuring wide access to information, proper education and awareness programme in the society about harmful effects of alcohol witnessed and the need for effective preventive actions. Also raising awareness to the most affected groups, discouraging stigmatization, and discrimination of the vulnerable.

The health sector on the other hand plays a central role in dealing with alcohol-use disorder and other alcohol based health conditions. The health service should inform societies about the social impact of alcohol and public health. Increasing health facilities and social welfare system to administer treatment and care for alcohol affected families, supporting self- help facilities contributes greatly to reduction of alcohol addiction (Storm et al., 2016). Health system screening initiatives should be formed for early identification of harmful consumption in pregnant mothers and women at the age of child bearing. Success of this initiative can be made possible by improving accessibility and availability of affordable health services for people in the low socioeconomic class.

Alcohol affects a person’s judgement to action therefore, drinking and driving becomes a threat not only to the person but other innocent lives. Several measures should be implemented to avoid such incidences. This include establishing sobriety check stops and random testing of breath. Drivers found drunk while driving should be punished by suspending their driving licenses. Compulsory education on drivers, counselling and establishment of treatment programmes. Public awareness and campaigns conducted through media in support of the drink and drive policy and the countermeasures.

Regulating availability of alcohol by public health helps reduce harmful consumption of alcohol. Easy access by the vulnerable is limited and those at high risk groups. Restrictions on secondary supply through parents or friends prevents easy accessibility to alcohol. Introducing licensing systems on those selling on retail and government monopolies. Establishing a specific age range for purchasing or consuming alcohol reduces instances of adolescent addiction. Setting up rules regarding public drinking in official agencies and functions. Elimination of illicit alcohol production helps regulate and prevent accessibility to informal alcohol.

Price changes in drinks becomes sensitive to heavy drinkers and youths. Elevating alcohol prices is one of the most effective ways of reducing alcohol abuse and addiction. Taxation on alcohol and ensuring enforcement by the established system helps reduce harmful consumption of alcohol. Banning of alcohol price promotions, offering discount on sales, and giving out unlimited drinking on sales below flat rates. On- alcoholic beverages on the other hand, may be provided with price incentives to encourage their consumption. Depending on the level of inflation prices may be reviewed regularly.

While alcohol comes with pleasures and sociability, effects of its abuse are vast. These consequences not only affect the consumer but also the society at large. Therefore, preventive policies have to be established and implemented since the problem of addiction is spreading rapidly. Average volume and the frequency of drinking is an issue that should be considered in an attempt to reduce alcohol addiction. Public awareness, education and establishment of rehab centers are among the policies that should be implemented to reduce the impact of drug abuse not only to the adults but also the young generation. Accessibility of alcohol in the society has contributed greatly to addiction therefore restrictions applied will help curb increasing rates of alcoholism.

Duke, A. A., Smith, K. M., Oberleitner, L., Westphal, A., & McKee, S. A. (2018). Alcohol, drugs, and violence: A meta-meta-analysis. Psychology of violence, 8(2), 238. https://psycnet.apa.org/buy/2017-15654-001

https://equityhealthj.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12939-016-0384-y Smith, V. C., & Wilson, C. R. (2016). Families affected by parental substance

use. Pediatrics, 138(2). https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/138/2/e20161575.abstract

Storm, I., den Hertog, F., Van Oers, H., & Schuit, A. J. (2016). How to improve collaboration between the public health sector and other policy sectors to reduce health inequalities?–A study in sixteen municipalities in the Netherlands. International journal for equity in health, 15(1), 1-14.

Zahr, N. M., & Pfefferbaum, A. (2017). Alcohol’s effects on the brain: neuroimaging results in humans and animal models. Alcohol research: current reviews. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2017-30828-00