The Pandemic of Poisoning and Death by Contraband Alcohol in Iran
It looks like Iranians may be learning a lesson Americans learned a century ago. America's Prohibition Era began in 1920 when the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which banned the manufacture, transportation, and sale of intoxicating liquors, went into effect. As sale of alcohol was banned during the prohibition, alcohol binging (of bootlegged varieties) and consumption broke new records in America. The same trend seems to be happening in today's Islamic Iran.
Despite a 40-year ban (after the Islamic revolution of 1979) on sales and public consumption of alcohol by Iran's theocratic government, officially some 10% of adult Iranians binge on alcohol and 27% have positive attitudes towards narcotics and drug use. Unofficially, the numbers are much higher. In 2005, Iran was third in per-capita alcohol consumption after Lebanon and Turkey among Islamic countries.
Alcohol binging in parties and alcohol toxicity seem to be reaching pandemic levels in Iran. Homayoun Najafi, a member of Iranian Parliament's Health Commission, has recently called the situation alarming and critical: "We can no longer deny or cover up the wave of deaths and poisoning by bootlegged alcohol across the country, including the high numbers in Karaj and Tehran. Given our Islamic laws we cannot legalize alcohol but we need to realize the serious impact of forbidding alcohol on its abuse in the society."
In 2021, during an embarrassing incident, the entire Iran's national basketball team was arrested in airport for importing contraband Alcohol. Several other Iranian celebrities have also been arrested, publicly shamed or blacklisted after being arrested for alcohol consumption or possession.
Note:
Recent scientific research shows even moderate drinking can cause memory loss and depression, and no level of alcohol is safe.
Related to Alcohol:
- Forget About a Glass of Wine a Day! New Research Shows No Level of Alcohol is Safe
- Officials in Iran's Islamic TV Punished for Airing Pat & Mat Making An Alcoholic Beverage!
- Leading Causes of Death in America and Iran (1)
- Forget About a Glass of Wine a Day! No Level of Alcohol is Safe as New Comprehensive Research Shows
- Norwegians weary of alcohol, debauchery and outdoor sex during Russ
- Tehran's Rich Kids start own page on Facebook
- Iran's World Cup Issue: Beer and immodest women images
- Even moderate drinking can cause memory loss and depression
- Iranians binge despite ban on alcohol
- An Iranian woman wins the best pub award in the country of pubs
- "Rethink the Drink" advice by The Persian Irish!
- Ebi, Arash and Shahkar Bineshpajooh Partying (Image)
- Lindsay Lohan: 25 Years in 60 seconds
- Whitney Houston's most popular hits
- Sad story of Macaulay Culkin and other child stars
